The reliance of Australian exports to the Chinese market has been put under the spotlight, with China imposing fresh trade restrictions across industries such as coal, wine, barley and timber.

However, a number of resource industry experts believe the country will be unable to shake off its reliance on Australia’s iron ore industry, in the short-term at least.

Demand for iron ore remains strong

In a recent ABC article, iron ore research analyst Philip Kirchlechner said despite the hostility, China’s coronavirus stimulus packages have seen the country’s demand for iron ore surge as it targets steel-intensive projects like rail, airports bridges and ports. Given the fact that Australia is currently China’s most reliable source of steel, Kirchlechner believes there is no need to panic.

Former Australian ambassador to China Geoff Raby also commented on China’s need for steel (as quoted by the Australian Financial Review):

China’s big agenda is the Belt and Road. This is China’s grand plan to provide the hard and soft infrastructure to facilitate trade between Europe and Asia. Steel is central to it.

In the same AFR article, Sydney-based iron ore analyst Andrew Gadd also pointed to the fact the domestic iron ore industry in China is shrinking. China’s current supply of iron ore only meets 20% of that required by its steel plants. For this reason, Gadd does not predict any decline in Australian export volumes to China in the near future.

Reliability and quality

There were also signs last week that Brazilian miner Vale will take longer than expected to solve the challenges curbing its iron ore output, which means China will need to continue to look elsewhere to meet its demand.

As reported by the ABC, BIS Oxford Economics chief economist Sarah Hunter is optimistic there would be no significant disruptions to iron ore exports to China over the next few years:

…Australia is very well placed as a reliable, high quality, big supplier into the Chinese market, and Chinese demand for iron ore isn’t going to diminish, as they don’t really have a good viable alternative.

While their share prices are all down slightly today, ASX iron ore shares Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) all enjoyed solid gains over the past week as the iron ore price continues to surge.

More reading

• The Aussie dollar just hit a new 2-year high. Here’s what that means
• This dividend share has the most franking credits on the ASX
• 2 excellent ASX dividend shares with 6%+ yields
• Top ASX shares making record all-time highs
• The BHP (ASX:BHP) share price has just hit a multi-year high

Motley Fool contributor MWUaus has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The MSM Corporation International Ltd (ASX: MSM) share price is soaring higher today. This comes after the company announced its strategic partner, Firefly Games Inc., has globally launched Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes on Apple Arcade.

At the time of writing, the MSM share price has rocketed 12.2% to 4.6 cents after reaching as high as 5 cents earlier in the day. In comparison, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 0.05% to 6,906.6 points.

Why is the MSM share price surging?

Investors are scrambling to get a hold of MSM shares after the company revealed this milestone achievement.

According to the release, the Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes game has successfully launched and it is featured on the main Apple Arcade page. The game, which was co-developed by Firefly Games and Zing Games, will now target world-wide mobile gaming audiences. 

In late November, MSM secured an equity position and first ranking, interest free-loan notes in Riva Technology and Entertainment Limited (RTE) group. RTE Group is the majority shareholder in another company which is the sole owner of Firefly Games. Thus, through its investment, MSM and Firefly Games became strategic partners.

While MSM has a priority right to be paid in profits or distributions received by RTE, it’s expected that gaming revenues will flow down into loan note repayments. This will allow MSM to meet its working capital requirements going forward.

In addition, MSM noted it may also be paid further distributions after the loan repayments have been satisfied. MSM currently has a 10% interest in RTE.

Management commentary

Chair of the Riva group and RTE director Mr Paul Roy commented on the milestone achievement. He said:

We are extremely pleased by the positive feedback to the game and especially honoured that Apple has featured the game globally on all App stores. We continue to work hard on multiple opportunities to secure new intellectual property to complement our existing suite of assets.

About the MSM share price

The MSM share price has gone gangbusters today, rising nearly 22% before pulling back to its current level. Over the year, the company’s shares have jumped 360%, representing an impressive gain for patient shareholders.

The MSM share price hit a 52-week low of half a cent in March, and an all-time high of 5.6 cents in July.

More reading

• These 2 FAANG leaders will drive the Nasdaq in 2021
• Here’s why the Abacus Property (ASX:ABP) share price is in a trading halt
• Which shares will benefit from trillions of dollars in new global stimulus?
• The ICSGlobal (ASX:ICS) share price has climbed 13% today. Here’s why.
• Why the Regional Express (ASX:REX) share price is flying higher today

Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple. 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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This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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

No one should’ve been too terribly surprised to see major market indexes moving in different directions on Monday — especially since it was the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQ: .IXIC) that was  on the rise even as the rest of the stock market pulled back from record levels. As at 3 p.m. EST, the Nasdaq was up by a third of a percent, putting it on pace to close at yet another all-time high.

Many investors are focusing their attention on the smaller, faster-growing companies that have come into the spotlight this year. Yet for the Nasdaq to deliver as good a performance in 2021 as it has in 2020, it will need additional contributions from its leaders. In particular, Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB) are working to get back their shares back to the levels they reached during the summer. If they can, it could help establish the current bull market as more than just a bounce back from the coronavirus-induced bear market.

Apple is trying to get back on top again

Shares of Apple were on the rise Monday, climbing more than 1%. The launch of the iPhone 12 series has been a big success, but the stock still hasn’t regained the levels it reached this summer immediately following its decision to do a stock split.

The iPhone 12 is a big deal because it’s the first smartphone from the tech giant that can utilize the world’s rapidly expanding 5G wireless networks. But it’s only the tip of the iceberg for Apple. In the third quarter, demand for wearable devices like the Apple Watch surged back upward. The launch of the Apple Watch Series 6 and SE products helped stoke greater consumer excitement about the line, and as many countries started to relax their COVID-19 restrictions, more people ramped up their outdoor activities. The fact that Apple Watches were available at a range of prices was also a plus.

Then there’s the company’s growing ecosystem of services. One that’s getting a lot of attention lately is the Apple TV+ video-streaming platform, which is now more than a year old and starting to gain traction both creatively and among consumers. Add that to older favorites like the App Store and new initiatives like Fitness+ and the Apple One subscription plan, and you can see why investors like what they’re seeing on the services side.

Apple soared during the past couple of years, and few would describe the stock as value-priced right now. But it’s below where it traded in early September, and that leaves it with some room to move higher even without the stock reaching new record levels.

More than a pretty face

Facebook was up more than 2% Monday afternoon. The social media powerhouse also hit record highs during the summer, but it has spent the last few months treading water.

Much of the challenge for Facebook has come on the regulatory side. Lawmakers haven’t liked what they’ve seen from the company, and there are growing concerns that it hasn’t done enough to monitor the content on its platform. Related to that, some advertisers are boycotting Facebook, which could curtail its revenue growth. A recent anti-discrimination lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice hasn’t helped the company’s reputation either.

Yet Facebook continues to push forward with efforts to make the most of its billions of members worldwide. Its recent acquisition of customer relationship management upstart Kustomer points to its plans to make its messaging capabilities more valuable to business customers and create new streams of revenue.

Look for Facebook and Apple to lead in 2021

For the Nasdaq to continue climbing next year, its most influential stocks will have to contribute to the upward momentum. Right now, investors are watching Apple and Facebook closely to see if they and their fellow FAANG stocks are likely to be able to get the job done in 2021 and beyond.

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

More reading

• Here’s how world’s 10 richest made $1.5 trillion from COVID-19
• Facebook just spent $1 billion to monetize messaging
• 2 reasons Amazon will keep taking ad sales from Google
• Facebook to acquire Kustomer in $1 billion deal
• Why is the Atomos (ASX:AMS) share price up 6% this morning?

Dan Caplinger owns shares of Apple. 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 and Facebook. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple and Facebook. 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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This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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The Abacus Property Group (ASX: ABP) share price won’t be going anywhere on Tuesday after the property company requested a trading halt.

Why is the Abacus Property share price in a trading halt?

This morning Abacus requested a trading halt whilst it launches a fully underwritten equity raising.

According to the release, Abacus is aiming to raise $402 million via a 1-for-4.8 accelerated non-renounceable pro rata entitlement offer in order to repay debt and increase its acquisition capacity for continued growth over the medium term.

In respect to the latter, management notes that it has a current identified acquisition pipeline comprising approximately $160 million of assets under active consideration. From these, approximately $130 million is in advanced negotiations with due diligence well progressed.

The company is raising the funds at $2.90 per new security, which represents a 6.5% discount to its last close price.

Abacus’ Managing Director, Steven Sewell, commented: “It has been immensely pleasing for Abacus to successfully deliver on its stated strategy. Since FY19, $926 million of capital has been deployed into acquisitions in the key areas of Office and Self Storage.”T

“This Entitlement Offer is expected to allow Abacus to extend its strong track record of long term value enhancing investments by providing an additional $911 million of acquisition capacity, ensuring Abacus will be in a strong position to continue to take advantage of the significant number of opportunities in these key sectors,” he added.

Trading update.

In addition to the equity raising, Abacus released an update on its performance so far in FY 2021.

It advised that trading conditions in its Self Storage portfolio have proved resilient. Its multi-pronged growth strategy including acquisition, development, expansion and optimisation has delivered a strong first quarter result.

This includes occupancy of 89.7% and revenue per available square metre (RevPAM) of $251. Positively, its rent collection remains high at 99%.

In light of this, it is expecting half year Funds from Operations (FFO) of 8.9 cents to 9.1 cents per security and an interim distribution of 8.5 cents per security.

More reading

• Which shares will benefit from trillions of dollars in new global stimulus?
• The ICSGlobal (ASX:ICS) share price has climbed 13% today. Here’s why.
• Why the Regional Express (ASX:REX) share price is flying higher today
• Zip and Creso Pharma were among the most traded shares on the ASX last week
• Why is the APA Group (ASX:APA) share price trading flat today?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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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Make no mistake.

Without the concerted stimulus efforts of governments and central banks across the developed world, the late March share market miracle rallies would not have occurred.

In the United States, the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQ: .IXIC) would never have soared 82% from its 23 March low to its closing level yesterday.

In Europe, Germany’s DAX PERFORMANCE-INDEX (DB: DAX) would never have leapt 57%.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 (NIKKEI: NI225) would not have rocketed 59%.

And here in Oz, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) would not have gained 47%.

Not without central banks slashing interest rates to effectively zero and pumping trillions into their quantitative easing (QE) programs. And not without governments abandoning their balanced budget goals to release trillions more dollars in stimulus spending.

We’re not out of the pandemic woods yet

Despite their herculean efforts, and the imminent rollout of numerous COVID-19 vaccines, we’re not out of the woods yet.

Australia looks to have the virus largely contained (knock on wood!). But it’s running rampant across most of Europe, the Americas, and much of Asia. That means much of the world can expect to remain in various stages of lockdown well into 2021.

That’s bad news for economies and share markets. And that means more stimulus is underway.

Indeed, in the US, politicians are moving closer to a new US$908 billion (AU$1.2 trillion) package, which President Donald Trump has indicated he’s likely to sign.

According to Bryce Doty, portfolio manager at Sit Fixed Income Advisors, that next round of stimulus is already widely priced into the markets (quoted by Bloomberg): “The market is basically assuming that it gets done. Now any setback makes the market vulnerable, because it’s built in that they will pass it.”

But this US stimulus package is almost certainly not the last. President-elect Joe Biden has already signalled Americans can expect more to come in 2021.

Meanwhile the Japanese economy and share market are set for their own Suga hit (sorry, couldn’t resist!).

Japan’s Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, is expected to unveil a new stimulus package in excess of 70 trillion yen (AU$900 billion) later today. In potentially good news for tech shares, Suga intends to spend big on improving Japan’s digital infrastructure.

We’re also expecting new stimulus announcements from European Central Bank (ECB) president Christine Lagarde this week.

The details of that package have not been revealed. But Bloomberg reports that, following this week’s expected stimulus announcement, the ECB’s total measures to date “will exceed 1.8 trillion euros [AU$3 trillion] after the newest salvo this week – along with huge provisions of cheap loans for banks”.

Here in Australia, the RBA remains open to extending its new $100 billion QE program if needed.

Growth shares, value shares, or run for the hills in 2021?

2020’s share market rally was a boon for many sectors. But growth shares, particularly in the tech and medical sectors, largely stole the show.

This has seen buy now, pay later (BNPL) darling Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) top the ASX 200 list with the biggest share price gains in 2020 (so far). If you’d bought shares in Afterpay at the market close last year, you’d be sitting on a gain of 230% today.

Mesoblast Limited (ASX: MSB) takes the second spot on the ASX 200 top share price gainers for 2020. Shares in the regenerative medicine company are up 116%.

Those kinds of price gains, according to Vocus founder James Spenceley, spell bubble trouble. Though not necessarily right away. Speaking at the Australian Financial Review Innovation Summit, Spenceley said:

Everything is overvalued, there’s absolutely no question, we’re into bubble territory. I think the important differentiator is bubbles can keep going for a very long while.

Frank Panayotou, managing director, UBS Private Wealth Management, offers a more upbeat view in a written note, while stressing the need to keep the right balance in your portfolio (quoted by the AFR):

The pace of gains in big cap technology stocks will inevitably cool as participation broadens to include more cyclical names as markets anticipate progress toward a more normalised post-COVID economic environment.

We remain mindful of not allowing our portfolio strategy to become intoxicated with what’s worked this year at the risk of missing out on the next great thematic opportunity.

Going forward, we don’t believe that growth stocks need to roll over for value stocks to do well, so we have been steadfast in rebalancing client portfolios to ensure they are appropriately style balanced heading into 2021.

So, according to Panayotou, don’t expect share markets to behave next year as they did this year. And keep an eye on your bubble indicators.

But with trillions of dollars in new global stimulus set to be unleashed, it seems there will be plenty of opportunities to make money from the best ASX shares in 2021.

More reading

• ASX 200 rises on Monday
• The sector that’ll explode in February: fundie
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• RBA gives BNPL another blessing
• Why the Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) share price is charging higher today

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T 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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The ICSGlobal Ltd (ASX: ICS) share price has leapt up 13% today after the company provided a positive guidance update for FY21.

At the time of writing, the ICSGlobal share is price is trading at $2.09.

Strong performance in FY21

The medical billing company says that the results for November 2020 have continued on a positive trend, and as a consequence the board is in a position to provide guidance for the financial year ending 30 June 2021.

ICSGobal expects net profit after tax (NPAT) to be in the range of $1.5 million to $1.7 million. This would be an increase of 22–38% on the prior year’s NPAT of $1.23 million.

The company remains cautious, noting that in the current environment, risks remain including a worsening of the trading environment due to further COVID-19 impacts, and an adverse foreign exchange movement. Should such risks materialise, the company says it will be necessary to revise this guidance.

ICSGlobal also announced the appointment of Graham Dormer as managing director of its medical billing and collections (MBC) business unit. The company says Mr Dormer is ideally suited to this role, having an exceptional background in business operations, finance, IT, and retail.

More about ICSGlobal

ICSGlobal is the largest medical billing company in the United Kingdom, where it derives almost all of its revenue from. 

The company’s revenue is based on an ‘annuity style’ model, where it collects on annualised recurring fees.

For the financial year 2020, the company delivered NPAT of $1.23 million, up 22% from the previous year. This came from a top line revenue of $6.08 million for the full year, which was 7% higher than FY19.

The company said that its strategy for 2020 was to implement key operational changes and efficiencies, which it says are now flowing to the FY21 bottom line.

About the ICSGlobal share price

The ICSGlobal share price had lost 5% this year before today’s increase. The share price went all the way down to $1.43 in March, but has recovered strongly since October. At the current market price, the ICSGlobal commands a market value of $20 million.

More reading

• Which shares will benefit from trillions of dollars in new global stimulus?
• Why the Regional Express (ASX:REX) share price is flying higher today
• Zip and Creso Pharma were among the most traded shares on the ASX last week
• Why is the APA Group (ASX:APA) share price trading flat today?
• Cisco makes 2 big acquisitions to take on Zoom

Motley Fool contributor Eddy Sunarto has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The Regional Express Holdings Ltd (ASX: REX) share price is trading close to its 52-week high after an overseas interest gained investment approval today. After an early surge, the Regional Express share price is trading up 1.32%, at $2.31.

This is the latest piece of good news for the regional airline that has seen its share price soar in recent weeks. Brushing aside COVID-19 impacts that largely decimated the travel sector this year, the Regional Express share price is up an astonishing 97% since the start of the year.

What happened today?

This morning, leading Asian investment firm PAG confirmed it had been granted Foreign Investment Review Board approval to acquire an interest in Regional Express.

The approval was sought in relation to a subscription agreement entered into with PAG on 19 November. Shares in Regional Express are up 49% since news of that agreement transpired.

Under the deal, Rex will issue up to $150 million convertible notes to PAG to fund its domestic operations. The notes can be converted to ordinary shares at $1.50, so it’s worth noting that PAG could potentially hold up to 47% of Rex’s shares if fully converted.

Despite today’s good news, other regulatory approvals are still needed. The company is awaiting its high capacity air operator’s certificate (HCAOC), and the outcome will likely be known by 18 December. The transaction is also subject to shareholder approval at Regional Express’s next AGM.

What now for the Regional Express share price?

The company is Australia’s largest independent regional and domestic airline. In exciting news for shareholders, Regional Express recently announced it will be offering flights from Melbourne to Sydney from $79. These flights will begin with 6 planes in March next year.

In addition to the airline, Regional Express comprises wholly owned subsidiaries Pel-Air Aviation and two pilot academies in Wagga Wagga and Ballarat.

More reading

• Regional Express (ASX:REX) share price soars to 13-year high
• REX Airlines (ASX:REX) share price rockets up 13%, smashing 52-week high
• REX Airlines (ASX:REX) share price flies as promotional fares go on sale
• Why the Regional Express (ASX:REX) share price is rising today

Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing 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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Australia’s leading investment platform provider CommSec has released data on the most traded ASX shares on its platform from last week.

As well as a couple of familiar faces, this week there were a few new names in the top five.

Here’s the data:

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P)

This buy now pay later provider was the most popular share on the CommSec platform last week. It accounted for a total of 2.5% of trades over the five days. This followed the release of its trading update for the month of November. Unfortunately, despite 70% of these trades coming from buyers and the update revealing further strong growth at home and in the United States, it couldn’t stop the Zip share price dropping 7.8% over the week.

Creso Pharma Ltd (ASX: CPH)

This cannabis company is a surprise entry into the top five. It contributed 1.9% of trades on the platform last week, with 62% coming from buyers. They were fighting to get hold of shares after the UN announced the decision to reclassify cannabis as a less dangerous drug. The Creso Pharma share price rocketed 185% higher last week thanks to this news and has continued its ascent this week.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

Treasury Wine shares accounted for 1.8% of trades on CommSec last week. News that China was putting material tariffs on this wine company’s products put a huge amount of pressure on the Treasury Wine share price last week. Some investors appear to believe the sharp decline in the Treasury Wine share price at the start of the week created a buying opportunity. A massive 77% of trades came from the buy side.

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)

This leading travel agent was popular with CommSec investors last week. Its shares were attributable to 1.8% of trades over the five days, with 66% of them coming from buyers. Those investors will be pleased to learn that the Flight Centre share price continued its positive run and recorded its fifth consecutive week of gains. This followed a 52% jump in November thanks to vaccine news and the re-opening of domestic borders.

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

Finally, this exchange traded fund (ETF) makes the top five after accounting for 1.6% of trades on the platform. The growing popularity of fund constituents such as Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Tesla led to 80% of these trades coming from buyers. The good news for them is that the Nasdaq index hit a record high overnight.

More reading

• Why G8 Education, Metcash, Woodside, & Zip shares are dropping lower
• This ASX travel share is already too expensive: fundies
• Why the Creso (ASX:CPH) share price is rocketing 30% today
• 3 great ASX tech shares to buy
• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week

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 BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Treasury Wine Estates Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS and Flight Centre Travel Group 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 APA Group (ASX: APA) share price is trading relatively flat this morning after the company announced its first hybrid energy investment. Shares in the energy infrastructure business are currently trading just 0.00% higher at a price of $10.12.

What is the investment?

APA Group announced a 2-phase power expansion agreement with existing customer Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) in Western Australia. It’s a $38 million investment that will boost total installed capacity from 45MW to 64MW.

The agreement includes the creation of a hybrid energy microgrid, making it APA’s first hybrid energy investment.

The company will carry out the upgrades in 2 phases. Firstly, APA will expand the Gruyere Power Station by installing a 12th reciprocating gas-fired engine. The expansion work is under way and expected to be finished mid next year.

In the second phase, APA Group will build, own and operate a 13MW solar farm. The hybrid control system will combine weather forecasting, battery control and existing engine control systems to optimise renewable use. Phase two is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2021. 

Commenting on the investment, APA CEO and managing director Rob Wheals said:

This new Gruyere battery storage and microgrid project is an exciting first for APA, demonstrating our ability to respond to the needs of our customers with world-class energy solutions.

Consistent with our purpose to strengthen communities through responsible energy, we are delighted to be working with the Gruyere JV on this innovative energy solution.

What now for the APA Group share price?

When completed, APA will be able to provide renewable energy supported by battery storage. Gas supply will continue on a take or pay basis through APA’s interconnected gas pipeline network.

As such, the expansion of the power station complements APA’s recent $460 million pipeline investment.

The APA share price has dropped 8% this year.

More reading

• Why the Gold Road (ASX:GOR) share price is lifting today
• Got money to invest? Here are 3 ASX dividend shares to buy
• 3 ASX dividend shares to buy in December
• APA Group (ASX:APA) share price flat despite major project news
• ASX 200 Weekly Wrap: ASX continues to climb, despite outage

Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of APA Group. 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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This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ: CSCO) announced on Monday that it is making two acquisitions to help improve the functionality of its WebEx videoconferencing, collaboration, and customer service platform. The networking giant is paying an undisclosed sum to acquire audience interaction platform Slido. The technology company provides tools that help moderate large groups, and “enables real-time feedback and insight before, during and after any meeting.” Slido has features that allow viewers and meeting participants to ask questions, answer polls, and participate in quizzes, among others. The Motley Fool regularly uses Slido for its events. 

Slido boasts over 7 million participants each month and will continue to be available for use by competitors. “Cisco understands the value in continuing Slido as a stand-alone product and building great integrations with other virtual meeting and presentation platforms like [Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT)] Teams, Zoom (NASDAQ: ZM) and [Alphabet‘s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG)] Google Meet,” said Juraj Pal, Slido’s product head. 

The tech giant also revealed plans to acquire IMImobile, a cloud communications software and services company, for roughly $730 million. IMImobile allows organizations to communicate with their customers across various channels, including social media, messaging, and voice. The company will become part of WebEx to further Cisco’s contact center-as-a-service (CCaaS) platform. The company will use the platform’s omnichannel capability to allow businesses to better connect with their customers.

Zoom has become the de facto industry standard for video conferencing since the rise of the pandemic earlier this year. In the third quarter, its revenue grew 367% year over year. At the same time, the number of customers contributing $100,000 or more in trailing-12-month revenue grew 136%, while the number of customers with more than 10 employees grew 485%. This marked the third consecutive quarter of triple-digit revenue growth for Zoom, eating into Cisco’s market opportunity.

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

More reading

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Danny Vena owns shares of Alphabet (A shares), Microsoft, and Zoom Video Communications. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Teresa Kersten, an employee of LinkedIn, a Microsoft subsidiary, 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 Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Microsoft, and Zoom Video Communications. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), and Zoom Video Communications. 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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This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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