• ASX 200 crash anniversary: 5 of the best performing shares of the last 12 months

    five asx shares represented by five candles on birthday cake

    Today is a momentous day. This time last year, on 23 March 2020, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was having one of its worst days yet with the coronavirus-induced market crash. The market was plummeting after yet another night of heavy selling over in the United States.

    Little did we know at the time, though, that this would be the day the ASX 200 found its bottom. Yes, after 23 March, it was only onwards and upwards. More so for some shares than others, of course.

    Here are 5 of the best performing ASX shares since that fateful day (in ascending order of performance):

    5 of the best performing ASX shares since the COVID crash

    5. Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P)

    At today’s share price of $8.21, it’s hard to imagine Zip Co at just $1.05 a share. Yet that’s where this buy now, pay later (BNPL) company briefly found itself 12 months ago. But fast forward one year and Zip shareholders have a 682% gain under their belts. Not a bad outcome at all.

    4. Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    Pilbara was hit by a perfect storm this time last year. Lithium miners like Pilbara had been in a bear market long before COVID-19 graced our lives. So when the market crashed, Pilbara was pushed to multi-year lows, bottoming out at 13 cents a share on 23 March 2020.

    Today, Pilbara is a $1.02 stock, meaning investors have enjoyed a 685% recovery.

    3. Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT)

    Afterpay has become a poster child of the ASX 200 recovery. It famously got down to a price of $8.01 on March 23 last year, down from the near-$20 a share it was commanding a month earlier.

    Remember, that seemed ludicrously expensive at the time for the BNPL pioneer! But today, Afterpay is going for $109.53 a share – a move I’m not sure even the bulls of the bulls could have dreamed of a year ago. That’s a return of 1,267%, thank you very much!

    2. Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH)

    Pointsbet shareholders were wiped out by around 80% between 14 February and 23 March last year. But anyone who had the nerves of steel to hold on has been richly rewarded for their courage.

    Since reaching a low of $1.04 on 23 March last year, Pointsbet closed yesterday at a price of $14.24 a share. That’s a handy 1,269% return.

    1. Redbubble Ltd (ASX: RBL)

    Last, but certainly not least is Redbubble, a company known for helping artists sell their works on various innovative mediums (like mugs for instance) online. Last March seemed to coincide with a slump Redbubble had been working through over the previous months.

    It reached a low of 40 cents on 23 March. But today, Redbubble shares are worth, at the time of writing, $5.70 each. That’s a return of… drumroll…. a whopping 1,325%. Just for some context, that return would result in a $10,000 investment then being worth $132,500 today.

    Foolish takeaway

    Got FOMO yet? I know I have, so that’s all for today! But this does go to show that selling your favourite companies in the worst throes of a market crash might just be one of the worst financial decisions you can ever make.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

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

    *Returns as of February 15th 2021

    More reading

    Sebastian Bowen (unfortunately) 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 Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. 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 Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post ASX 200 crash anniversary: 5 of the best performing shares of the last 12 months appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/31aJByR

  • Here’s why the Pushpay (ASX:PPH) share price could surge higher today

    The Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH) share price will be one to watch this morning following the release of an announcement relating to a new cornerstone investor.

    In early trade in New Zealand, the donation and engagement platform provider’s NZX-listed shares are trading 5% higher.

    What did Pushpay announce?

    This morning Pushpay revealed that the Huljich family has finally completed the selldown of its holding in the company.

    According to the release, Christopher & Banks V Limited, the investment vehicle associated with Peter Huljich and Christopher Huljich, have sold 100% of their remaining shares in Pushpay to leading global investment firm Sixth Street.

    In doing so, Pushpay understands that Sixth Street will become its largest shareholder, holding approximately 17.8% of its shares outstanding after the acquisition completes on 30 March 2021.

    What is Sixth Street?

    The release explains that Sixth Street is a global investment firm with over US$50 billion in assets under management and committed capital.

    It was founded in 2009 and has more than 320 team members, including over 145 investment professionals operating from nine locations around the world.

    Sixth Street has a long-term oriented and highly flexible capital base, allowing it to invest thematically across sectors, geographies, and asset classes.

    Select current and past investments in growth companies include Airbnb, AirTrunk, AvidXchange, Gainsight, Kyriba, MDLIVE, Paycor, PaySimple, Spotify, and SumUp.

    “Delighted”

    Pushpay’s Chairman, Graham Shaw, was delighted to have Sixth Street on board.

    He said: “We are delighted to welcome Sixth Street as a cornerstone investor in Pushpay. As a highly experienced technology and growth investor with a core thematic focus on the convergence of software and payments, Sixth Street’s global scale and partnership-oriented investing approach brings considerable strength to Pushpay’s shareholder register.”

    “On behalf of Pushpay, I would also like to sincerely thank Peter and Christopher Huljich for their invaluable contribution and commitment to the business over the past seven years. We are extremely grateful for their support and wish them all the best with their future endeavours.”

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

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

    *Returns as of February 15th 2021

    More reading

    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 PUSHPAY FPO NZX. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended PUSHPAY FPO NZX. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post Here’s why the Pushpay (ASX:PPH) share price could surge higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2Qvod5j

  • Top brokers name 3 ASX dividend shares to buy today

    Buy ASX shares

    Fortunately, in this low interest rate environment, there are countless dividend shares for investors to choose from on the Australian share market.

    But with so many to choose from, it can be hard to decide which ones to buy. To narrow things down, I have picked out three ASX dividend shares that brokers think investors should buy:

    Metcash Limited (ASX: MTS)

    According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts have retained their buy rating and lifted their price target on this wholesale distributor’s shares to $4.03. Goldman was pleased with Metcash’s latest strategy update, which highlighted a shift in its strategy to a growth footing. In addition to this, it notes that management has flagged its strong capital position by increasing its dividend payout ratio. In light of the latter, Goldman is now forecasting fully franked dividends of 19 cents per share in FY 2021 and 18 cents per share in FY 2022. Based on the current Metcash share price of $3.49, this will mean yields of 5.4% and 5.15%, over the next couple of years.

    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

    Analysts at Ord Minnett have recently upgraded this telco giant’s shares to a buy rating with a $4.05 price target. According to the note, the broker believes Telstra is well-placed to benefit from the 5G rollout due to its superior network. In addition to this, it believes its shares are good value and offer an attractive yield. Ord Minnett expects Telstra to continue paying a 16 cents per share dividend over the next couple of years. Based on the current Telstra share price of $3.25, this will equate to a fully franked 4.9% dividend yield.

    Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

    A note out of Citi reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $26.00 price target on this banking giant’s shares. According to the note, the broker believes there is scope for the banking sector to continue to outperform as more investors rotate into bank shares due to rising bond yields and their improving outlooks. Citi is expecting Westpac to pay $1.30 per share fully franked dividends over the next couple of years. Based on the Westpac share price of $24.66, this will mean a generous 5.3% yield.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

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

    *Returns as of February 15th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking. 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.

    The post Top brokers name 3 ASX dividend shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3f8Vuxk

  • Why the CV Check (ASX:CV1) share price will be on watch this morning

    asx share price on watch represented by investor looking through magnifying glass

    The CV Check Ltd (ASX: CV1) share price will be on watch this morning following the company’s release of a business update. At yesterday’s market close, the online integrated screening and verification company’s shares finished the day at 14.5 cents.

    Let’s take a look at what CV Check provided investors with late Monday evening.

    Best sales on record

    The CV Check share price could be on the move today after the company advised it delivered a robust performance for the March quarter.

    According to its release, CV Check reported strong trading conditions throughout February. This resulted in the company achieving a new all-time sales record for the month, and the 12-month booked annual recurring revenue (ARR).

    The strong sales growth came from new customer wins, as well as high-order volumes driven by its established customer base.

    CV Check noted that sales are continuing to run into March – the final month of Q3 FY21.

    In addition, the company highlighted that the Bright People Technologies acquisition is on track. Settlement is expected to occur sometime in early April.

    CV Check CEO Rod Sherwood commented on the company’s solid performance:

    A very strong couple of months have kicked off the calendar year. A strong January was followed by new all-time revenue records being set in February for both a single month of sales and the booked 12-month ARR. Growth is being driven by both new customer wins and high order flow from long standing customers who are active in bringing on new hires and re-compliance screening. March sales volume as experienced to date continues to be very strong.

    CV Check share price snapshot

    The CV Check share price has gained over 100% in the past 12 months, but lost over 20% year to date. The company’s shares reached a 52-week high of 21 cents in February when news of the acquisition came to light.

    Based on valuation grounds, CV Check has a market capitalisation of around $51.5 million, with 355.2 million shares on issue.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

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

    *Returns as of February 15th 2021

    More reading

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

    The post Why the CV Check (ASX:CV1) share price will be on watch this morning appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3cWmzRB

  • Where to invest your BHP (ASX:BHP) dividends

    Young female investor holding cash ASX retail capital return

    Today is a big day for BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shareholders with the mining giant scheduled to pay its latest dividend.

    BHP is paying eligible shareholders a fully franked $1.31 per share interim dividend. This means a whopping US$5.1 billion is heading into shareholders’ bank accounts this morning.

    If you’re planning to reinvest these funds into the share market, then you might want to consider the ASX shares listed below. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    REA Group Limited (ASX: REA)

    The first ASX share to consider buying with these dividends is REA Group. It is the dominant player in real estate listings in the Australian market with its realestate.com.au website. The company also owns and operates a number of complementary businesses in Australia and other listings websites around the globe.

    After a couple of difficult years because of the housing market downturn and COVID-19, REA Group looks well-placed for strong growth over the medium term. This due to the booming housing market, new revenue streams, cost cutting, and its growing international operations. 

    One broker that is particularly positive on the company is Morgan Stanley. It currently has an overweight rating and $175.00 price target on its shares.

    ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD)

    Another ASX share to look at is ResMed. It is a sleep treatment-focused medical device company with a growing portfolio of industry-leading products.

    ResMed has consistently delivered solid sales and earnings growth over the last decade. This has underpinned market-beating returns for its shares, much to the delight of shareholders.

    The good news is that the next decade looks just as positive thanks to its strong market position, growing cloud business, the ever-increasing awareness of sleep disorders, and the shift to home healthcare.

    Morgans is a big fan of ResMed. Its analysts currently have an add rating and $30.09 price target on its shares.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

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

    *Returns as of February 15th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended REA Group Limited and ResMed Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post Where to invest your BHP (ASX:BHP) dividends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2PfnyEy

  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    Australia’s leading brokers are always on the lookout for the best ASX shares to buy.

    Brokers don’t always get it right, but they are often on the money. They regularly update their view on different businesses as share prices change or when that ASX share releases an important announcement, such as a result.

    These three ASX shares have been rated as buys recently:

    Volpara Health Technologies Ltd (ASX: VHT)

    Volpara has been rated as a buy by Morgans as it highlighted the benefits of the CRA Health purchase and the benefit of growth of its average revenue per user (ARPU). The share price target is $1.94.

    A few weeks ago, Volpara announced that it was acquiring Boston-based CRA Health for US$18 million with another potential US$4 million payable based on meeting certain targets.

    Volpara explained that CRA is profitable, with annual recurring revenue (ARR) of over US$4 million, average revenue per user (ARPU) of around US$1.70 and coverage of around 6% of US breast screenings. CRA software is integrated with major electronic health record and genetics companies.

    This acquisition increases Volpara’s market share to over 30%. It also increased the group ARPU to over US$1.40.

    A couple of weeks ago, Volpara revealed that CRA Health had won a contract that covered the provision of breast cancer risk scores to a large Indiana-based organisation that has sites across more than 20 states and runs a major electronic health record system. It was the biggest in Volpara’s history.

    BWX Ltd (ASX: BWX)

    Natural beauty business BWX has been rated as a buy by the broker Citi. It has a price target of $5.35.

    Citi noted that the company is seeing less engagement on social media recently, but if it can increase that with users then it could help growth in the future. But, the natural beauty business is focusing its efforts on the domestic retail sector – this may lead to a better payoff for the company.

    In the FY21 half-year result the ASX share reported net revenue grew by 0.6% to $84.5 million, or 3.4% in constant currency terms. Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) went up by 1.4% to $11.7 million.

    BWX said that the Chemist Warehouse equity partnership will continue to fuel growth of Sukin, Andalou Naturals and Mineral Fusion in Australia and international markets. The Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) partnership will see Sukin launched in 930 Woolworths stores. It has also achieved distribution gains in North American retailers including in Walmart (Canada) and Mineral Fusion in Wholefood Markets.  

    Clover Corporation Limited (ASX: CLV)

    Clover is a business that aims to deliver science-based bioactives into products such as infant formula.

    The ASX share is rated as a buy by the broker Ord Minnett, which has a price target of $2.37 for the ASX share.

    Clover is suffering from reduced demand for infant formula, however it is also staying on top of its costs. Whilst demand is low, the broker pointed out that it has a good customer base that will lead to potential upside when daigou and other demand returns.

    In the recently-released FY21 half-year result it showed a 21.7% decrease in net sales revenue to $29.4 million and a 45.8% reduction in net profit after tax (NPAT) to $2.5 million.

    Clover is still confident about the future, saying that the fundamentals of the business remain strong with opportunities for growth across markets and segments currently curtailed by COVID-19.

    It’s expecting FY21 revenue to be in the range of $60 million to $70 million.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

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

    *Returns as of February 15th 2021

    More reading

    Tristan Harrison 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 VOLPARA FPO NZ. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Clover Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended BWX Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Woolworths Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VOLPARA FPO NZ. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3sgnFyi

  • LIVE COVERAGE: ASX to fall; tech could climb

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

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

    *Returns as of February 15th 2021

    More reading

    Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Kate O’Brien owns shares of Apple and Rio Tinto Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), and Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), and Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post LIVE COVERAGE: ASX to fall; tech could climb appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2Arppiz

  • 3 exciting small cap ASX shares to watch

    ASX share price on watch represented by man peering closely at computer screen

    If you’re a big fan of investing in small cap shares, then you might want to look at the ones listed below.

    Here’s why these three ASX small cap shares could be ones to watch:

    Audinate Group Limited (ASX: AD8)

    Audinate is digital audio-visual networking technologies provider. It is the company behind the industry-leading Dante audio over IP networking solution. Audinate’s solutions replace point-to-point audio and video connections with easy-to-use, scalable, flexible networking. They have been adopted by hundreds of manufacturers in thousands of professional products, making its products the de facto standard for modern AV connectivity. While demand was very soft during the pandemic, sales are expected to increase materially once the crisis passes. 

    UBS currently has a buy rating and $10.10 price target on the company’s shares.

    Booktopia Group Ltd (ASX: BKG)

    Another small cap to watch is Booktopia. It is an online book retailer which, unlike Audinate, has been in fine form during the pandemic. For example, during the first half of FY 2021, the company reported a 51.1% increase in revenue to $112.6 million and a 502.3% jump in underlying EBITDA to $8 million. This was driven by the shift to online shopping and its investment in a new distribution centre. The latter allowed the company to take advantage of the increased demand by shipping more books than ever before.

    Last month Morgans put an add rating and $3.53 price target on Booktopia’s shares.

    Universal Store Holdings Limited (ASX: UNI)

    Universal Store is a fashion retailer for the 16-35 year old fashion-focused consumer. It aims to deliver an ever-changing and carefully curated selection of on-trend products to customers. This tactic is working wonders and helped Universal Store deliver a stellar half year result in February. For the six months ended 31 December, Universal Store reported a 23.3% increase in sales to $118 million and a 63.6% increase in underlying net profit after tax to $21.1 million.

    This went down well with analysts at Morgans, who believe more strong growth is coming. The broker currently has an add rating and $8.37 price target on its shares.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

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

    *Returns as of February 15th 2021

    More reading

    James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Booktopia Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AUDINATEGL FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post 3 exciting small cap ASX shares to watch appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/319tMIO

  • Time to be bullish or bearish on the Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price?

    asx buy now pay later shares such as zip and afterpay share price represented by finger pressing pay button on mobile phone

    The Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price has been falling in recent weeks, it’s actually down by around 27% over the last month. That’s a pretty steep decline in a fairly short amount of time. 

    What do brokers think of the Afterpay share price?

    Different brokers have different views of Afterpay shares. UBS doesn’t have much expectation for the Afterpay share over the next year – it has a price target of $36.

    UBS thinks that a problem for Afterpay is the growing amount of competition in the space from large players such as Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) which could lead to problems relating to the no surcharge rules.

    Merchants currently can’t pass on those costs to customers, but CBA’s merchant fee (and PayPal’s) is actually lower than what Afterpay charges.

    Ord Minnett has a price target of $150 on Afterpay, with the broker being pleased by the continuing northern hemisphere growth.

    Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) brokers have set a price target of $140 for the buy now, pay later leader. However, it noted that the rate of growth in Afterpay’s recent half-year result for FY21 is slower than other recent reports.

    How did reporting season go?

    Well, the Afterpay share price has been falling since the report’s release, but there was plenty of growth reported.

    Customer numbers and merchants continue to grow significantly – merchants went up 73% to 74,700 and active customers grew by 80% to 13.1 million.

    The buy now, pay later company continues to see its underlying sales roughly double each report. In the first six months of FY21, underlying sales grew 106% to $9.8 billion. On a constant currency basis, underlying sales would have gone up 112% to $10.1 billion.

    Afterpay’s income from merchants grew by 108% to $374.2 million, or 114% in constant currency terms.

    The company’s gross loss as a percentage of underlying sales improved by 0.3 percentage points to 0.7%, whilst the net transaction margin as a percentage of underlying sales improved by 0.1 percentage point to 2.2%. This led to the net transaction margin growing by 110% to $213.9 million.

    Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) before significant items jumped 521% to $47.9 million.  

    What is management doing to grow profit and the Afterpay share price?

    Afterpay is focused on growth in a number of different areas, particularly when it comes to global growth.

    One area that Afterpay is looking to grow in is Europe with the completion of its Pagantis acquisition which will now occur after regulatory approval being granted by the Bank of Spain.

    Afterpay has revealed that preparation into the launch of Spain, France and Italy is currently underway with over $1 billion global merchants in the process of contracting.

    It’s also looking at Asia as the next stage of growth after establishing a base in Singapore after the acquisition of EmpatKali in August 2020 to drive the potential expansion into South East Asia.

    Afterpay continues to see that its longer-term customers use the buy now, pay later service more and more, which can lead to higher margins with repeat usage.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

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

    *Returns as of February 15th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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.

    The post Time to be bullish or bearish on the Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3vK7FXr

  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

    ASX share

    On Monday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fought back from a poor start to record a solid gain. The benchmark index rose 0.65% to 6,752.5 points.

    Will the market be able to build on this on Tuesday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 futures pointing lower

    The Australian share market looks set to edge lower today despite strong gains being recorded in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 12 points or 0.2% lower this morning. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is up 0.55%, the S&P 500 is up 1%, and the Nasdaq is trading 1.6% higher. A pullback in bond yields gave equities a boost.

    Tech shares could jump

    It could be a good day for ASX tech shares such as Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) and Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) on Tuesday after US tech stocks stormed higher overnight following a pullback in bond yields. US giants Apple, Facebook, and Tesla are all recording solid gains and helping to drive the tech-focused Nasdaq index 1.6% higher. As the local tech sector has a tendency of following the Nasdaq’s lead, this bodes well for Tuesday’s trade.

    Oil prices edge higher

    Energy producers such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) will be on watch after oil prices edged higher. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.1% to US$61.47 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price has risen 0.1% to US$64.58 a barrel. Oil prices edged higher despite concerns about European lockdowns and their impact on demand.

    Gold price lower

    Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a subdued day after the gold price edged lower despite bond yields falling. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.1% to US$1,739.70 an ounce. A switch to risk on assets weighed on the safe haven asset.

    Carsales goes ex-dividend

    The Carsales.Com Ltd (ASX: CAR) share price is going ex-dividend this morning and could trade lower. The auto listings giant will then be paying its fully franked 25 cents per share interim dividend to eligible shareholders next month on 21 April. Elsewhere, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shareholders can look forward to being paid its $1.31 per share dividend later today.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

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

    *Returns as of February 15th 2021

    More reading

    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 carsales.com Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3f1DDbL