• ASX 200 up 0.4%: Altium disappoints, ARB impresses, Mesoblast charges higher

    ASX 200 shares

    At lunch on Tuesday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is defying the declines on Wall Street and pushing higher. The benchmark index is currently up 0.4% to 6,722.6 points.

    Here’s what has been happening on the market today:

    Altium guidance disappoints.

    The Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) share price has come under pressure on Tuesday after the release of an update on its expectations for the first half of FY 2021. The electronic design software provider revealed that COVID-19 has impacted its sales in the United States and Europe during the half. As a result, it is expecting to deliver revenue of around US$89.6 million for the six months. This will be down 3% on the prior corresponding period.

    ARB update impresses

    The ARB Corporation Limited (ASX: ARB) share price is racing higher today following the release of its guidance for the first half. The 4×4 accessories company expects to report a 21.6% increase in sales to $284 million and profit before tax of $70 million to $72 million. The latter includes $9.8 million of non-recurring government assistance. Though, even if you exclude this, the company’s profit before tax is more than 75% higher than the prior corresponding period.

    Mesoblast share price pushes higher.

    The Mesoblast limited (ASX: MSB) share price climbing higher again on Tuesday after recording a strong gain yesterday. Investors have been buying the biotech company’s shares after its run of disappointing updates came to an end. On Monday Mesoblast announced that its rexlemestrocel-L drug provides a reduction in heart attacks, strokes, and cardiac death in patients with chronic heart failure.

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers.

    The best performer on the ASX 200 today with a 5% gain has been the ARB share price. This follows its aforementioned guidance update for the first half of FY 2021. The worst performer has been the PolyNovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) share price with a 12% decline. Investors have been selling the medical device company’s shares after the release of an underwhelming trading update.

    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 June 30th

    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 and recommends Altium. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of POLYNOVO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Limited. 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 up 0.4%: Altium disappoints, ARB impresses, Mesoblast charges higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3i1ZlvI

  • Why the Worley (ASX:WOR) share price is edging higher

    model construction workers working on increasing pile of coins, asx 200 building shares, boral share price

    The Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR) share price is edging higher today. This comes after the company announced that it has won a contract for its Heartland Petrochemical Complex.

    At the time of writing, the Worley share price is slightly higher — up 0.4% to $12.58.

    Quick take on Worley

    A leading global engineering company, Worley provides design and project delivery services, including maintenance, reliability support services and advisory services. The business operates in the energy, chemical and resources sector.

    What is driving the Worley share price higher?

    The Worley share price is picking up steam as investors digest the latest news from the company.

    According to the release, Inter Pipeline awarded Worley with a master site services and supply contract for its Heartland Petrochemical Complex. Located in Alberta, Canada, the facility will start using locally acquired natural gas (propane) in converting up to 525,000 tonnes of polypropylene per year through propane dehydrogenation.

    Polypropylene, a durable and heat-resistant and versatile plastic, is used in almost all modern industries. Examples include protection against corrosive chemicals in packaging, used to make lunch boxes or prescription bottles, car parts and accessories, as well as many more.

    Under the agreement, Worley will provide an array of services at the newly constructed complex. This includes commissioning support, direct hire maintenance, small capital construction, turnaround, engineering and consulting expertise.

    Worley’s Canadian team will manage the operations, backed by the company’s global integrated delivery team. The contract term is valid for a period of 3 years.

    CEO commentary

    Worley CEO Mr Chris Ashton welcomed the agreement, saying:

    We are delighted that Inter Pipeline has chosen Worley to provide services for their Heartland Petrochemical Complex in Canada. The contract compliments Inter Pipeline’s commitment to sustainable practices and operational excellence and Worley’s strategic focus on sustainability and delivering a more sustainable world.

    Worley share price snapshot

    Moving on an upwards trajectory, the Worley share price is 171% higher than its $4.63 low reached in March 2020. Although, when looking at a 1-year return, the company’s shares are down 21%.

    On current prices, Worley has a market capitalisation of $6.5 billion and a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 38.2.

    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 June 30th

    More reading

    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.

    The post Why the Worley (ASX:WOR) share price is edging higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/38ArDdF

  • Capital returns galore from cashed-up ASX retail stocks

    Young female investor holding cash ASX retail capital return

    Just as you thought outperforming ASX retail stocks are running out of puff, the group could find a second wind through capital returns.

    Many consumer discretionary stocks have outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) since the COVID-19 crash.

    The fear is that all the good news is already reflected in their share prices. But I don’t think investors are expecting cash handouts or share buybacks.

    Cash splash from cashed-up ASX retailers

    The chances of some ASX retail stocks undertaking such programs is growing, according to Credit Suisse.

    “Whilst the market debates the longevity of above-trend earnings for domestic retail, cash is in the bank as a result of strong trading in 2020 and gearing is almost non-existent for a number of the retailers under our coverage,” said the broker.

    “It is likely that a combination of balance sheet capacity and diminishing downside risk to trading from COVID-19 will lead to capital management in 2021.”

    Retail sales recovery running hot

    Retail sales have been rebounding dramatically since the lockdowns. The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed a 7.1% surge in November from the previous month. The increase is a more impressive 13.3% from the same period last year.

    The easing of harsh lockdown conditions in Victoria released a surge in pent-up buying, while Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events helped too.

    There are four ASX retail stocks that are likely to announce capital management initiatives this year, according to Credit Suisse.

    Four ASX retail stocks most likely to return capital

    These are the Metcash Limited (ASX: MTS) share price, Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) share price, JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH) share price and Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN) share price.

    Capital management could come in various forms. It may be through a special dividend or a share buyback.

    Share buybacks reduce the number of shares issued. This in turn leads to higher earnings per share (EPS) for the stock in question.

    Extra franking credits can also be distributed to shareholders via a special dividend or off-market buyback.

    Valuation increase for capital management candidates

    “We estimate that capital management would result in 2% valuation increases (pre tax benefits) and 9% EPS accretion for HVN and JBH,” said Credit Suisse.

    “For MTS, we estimate a 2% valuation increase and 5% EPS accretion. For WES we estimate a 1% valuation increase and 3% EPS accretion.”

    Is the ASX retail sector on cum-upgrade cycle?

    However, it’s worth noting that Credit Suisse’s bullish take is largely premised on its better than consensus forecasts for the sector.

    The broker believes that market expectations for ASX retailers are too low in FY21 and FY22. Credit Suisse believes the tailwinds that lifted the sector in 2020 will persist for longer than what many are expecting.

    Retail stock investors will be hoping the broker is right.

    Man who said buy Kogan shares at $3.63 says buy these 3 ASX stocks 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.*

    In this FREE STOCK REPORT, Scott just revealed what he believes are the 3 ASX stocks for the post COVID world that investors should buy right now while they still can. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks these could really go gangbusters as we move into ‘the new normal’.

    *Returns as of 6/8/2020

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Connect with me on Twitter @brenlau.

    The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post Capital returns galore from cashed-up ASX retail stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3nEc5JY

  • Why Altium, Clover, PolyNovo, & Tyro shares are dropping lower

    graph of paper plane trending down

    In late morning trade the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to bounce back from yesterday’s decline. The benchmark index is currently up 0.2% to 6,709.8 points.

    Four shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here’s why they are dropping lower:

    Altium Limited (ASX: ALU)

    The Altium share price is down 2.5% to $29.98 following the release of its guidance for the first half. The electronic design software provider revealed that it expects to deliver revenue of around US$89.6 million for the half. This will be a drop of 3% on the prior corresponding period. Management advised that COVID-19 lockdowns have been impacting its sales and led to declines in the United States and Europe.

    Clover Corporation Limited (ASX: CLV)

    The Clover share price has crashed 9.5% lower to $1.43. This is despite there being no news out of the specialist ingredients company. However, in October the company warned that its performance had been impacted by a significant reduction in demand from infant formula producers. Investors may not be confident that demand will rebound quickly.

    PolyNovo Ltd (ASX: PNV)

    The PolyNovo share price has sunk 8% lower to $3.11. Investors have been selling the medical device company’s shares after the release of a trading update. Although that update revealed that PolyNovo delivered a 31% increase in first half sales, it would have been much stronger had its second quarter performance not underwhelmed. The company delivered a 75% increase in sales during the first quarter, but this was offset partly by soft sales in October and November.

    Tyro Payments Ltd (ASX: TYR)

    The Tyro share price has fallen 6% to $2.95. Investors appear to have been selling the payments company’s shares amid reports that some of its customers are still dealing with an outage from last week. There may be fears that this bad publicity could have a negative impact on new customer signups.

    This Tiny ASX Stock Could Be the Next Afterpay

    One little-known Australian IPO has doubled in value since January, and renowned Australian Moonshot stock picker Anirban Mahanti sees a potential millionaire-maker in waiting…

    Because ‘Doc’ Mahanti believes this fast-growing company has all the hallmarks of genuine Moonshot potential, forget ‘buy now pay later’, this stock could be the next hot stock on the ASX.

    Doc and his team have published a detailed report on this tiny ASX stock. Find out how you can access what could be the NEXT Afterpay today!

    Returns as of 6th October 2020

    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 and recommends Altium. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Clover Limited, POLYNOVO FPO, and Tyro Payments. 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.

    The post Why Altium, Clover, PolyNovo, & Tyro shares are dropping lower appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3seWi87

  • The Schaffer (ASX:SFC) share price has surged 5% higher today. Here’s why.

    boy dressed in business suit with rocket wings attached looking skyward

    The Schaffer Corporation Limited (ASX: SFC) is climbing today, after the diversified industrial company reported upbeat results for its first-half FY21 trading period.

    At the time of writing, the Schaffer share price is trading up 5.6% at $18.49.

    What’s moving the Schaffer share price today?

    In today’s release, Schaffer announced a statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) for the first-half FY21 of $22 million. This is an increase from the $13.9 million reported for the same period in FY20.

    The $22 million includes a $10 million non-cash and unrealised gains on equity investments, primarily its investment in the ASX-listed Harvest Technology Group Ltd (ASX:HTG).

    On the operational side, Schaffer says its automotive leather division experienced strong sales volumes in the half. This was driven by the launch of new vehicle programs in Europe and China. The company did not provide figures on the sales.

    Schaffer expects to pay an interim fully franked dividend of 45 cents per share for the half, to be confirmed and formally announced on 17 February after the results have been audited.

    About the Schaffer Corporation

    Schaffer is a diversified industrial company with core operations in building materials, automotive leather and property.

    The automotive leather division is the largest and generates around two-thirds of revenues, with the other third split between its building materials business and investments.

    In its full years results for FY20 announced in August, the company reported an NPAT of $23.6 million, up from $22.9 million in FY19.

    About the Schaffer share price

    Including today’s gains, the Schaffer share price has risen by 22% over the last 12 months.

    The company paid a fully franked dividend of 80 cents per share for the full FY20.

    Schaffer commands a market valuation of $238 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 June 30th

    More reading

    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.

    The post The Schaffer (ASX:SFC) share price has surged 5% higher today. Here’s why. appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

  • Why the Vicinity Centres (ASX:VCX) share price is down 38% in 1 year

    real estate investment trust trading halt represented by man holding hand up in stop motion and holding wooden block in the shape of a house

    There’s no denying 2020 was a tough year for the Vicinity Centres (ASX: VCX) share price. Shares in the Aussie real estate investment trust (REIT) have slumped 38% in the last 12 months to $1.55 per stapled security.

    So, what’s driving the REIT’s shares lower?

    Why has the Vicinity Centres share price slumped lower?

    The coronavirus pandemic had a big impact on retail real estate valuations in 2020. Tightening restrictions across the country reduced foot traffic and in-store sales for major shopping centres.

    Vicinity Centres is one of the largest REITs in the country with major assets including Chadstone (Melbourne) and Chatswood Chase (Sydney).

    As COVID-19 restrictions kicked in throughout 2020, brick-and-mortar retail fell on hard times. Work from home orders saw vacancy rates soar while a new National Code of Conduct for commercial tenancies impacted on rent collections.

    This saw the Vicinity Centres share price crash lower in 2020, starting with the March bear market.

    However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the Aussie REIT and its investors. Shares in the retail REIT have climbed 28.1% higher since the end of October to trade at $1.55 per stapled security.

    What about the other Aussie REITs?

    Shares in Vicinity Centres’ fellow ASX retail REITs have also struggled to make gains over the last year.

    The Scentre Group (ASX: SCG) share price is down 29.5% in the last 12 months while SCA Property Group (ASX: SCP) shares are down in the last 11.3% to $2.43 per share.

    What’s the outlook for 2021?

    No one knows for sure what lies ahead in 2021, particularly given the new strains of COVID-19 and a looming vaccination push.

    However, Moody’s Investors Service is anticipating the retail sector will remain “subdued” with downside risks emerging for office REITs.

    Industrial assets are tipped by Moody’s to be best placed for growth in 2021 given strong demand for logistics and data centres.

    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 June 30th

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Shopping Centres Australasia Property Group. 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 Vicinity Centres (ASX:VCX) share price is down 38% in 1 year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3sdVYq5

  • Why ARB, Mesoblast, Pushpay, & Super Retail shares are racing higher

    beat the share market

    In morning trade the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has defied the weakness on Wall Street and is edging higher. The benchmark index is currently up 0.1% to 6,703.4 points.

    Four shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are racing higher:

    ARB Corporation Limited (ASX: ARB)

    The ARB share price is up 5.5% to $33.42. Investors have been buying the 4×4 accessories company’s shares following the release of its guidance for the first half. Based on preliminary and unaudited management accounts, ARB expects to report a 21.6% increase in sales to $284 million and profit before tax of $70 million to $72 million. While its profits include $9.8 million of non-recurring government assistance, even including this, it is up materially on the prior corresponding period’s profit before tax of $34.4 million.

    Mesoblast limited (ASX: MSB)

    The Mesoblast share price is up a further 4% to $2.66. Investors have been buying the biotech company’s shares after it finally released some good news. On Monday Mesoblast announced that its rexlemestrocel-L drug provides a reduction in heart attacks, strokes, and cardiac death in patients with chronic heart failure.

    Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH)

    The Pushpay share price has stormed 5% higher to $1.57 following the release of a trading update. That update revealed that Pushpay’s performance has been stronger than expected, leading to another guidance upgrade. Instead of EBITDAF of between US$54 million and US$58 million, management is now forecasting FY 2021 EBITDAF of between US$56 million and US$60 million. This will be up 123% to 139% year on year. Pushpay also announced the appointment of its new CEO, Molly Matthews.

    Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL)

    The Super Retail share price has surged 5.5% higher to $11.58. This is despite there being no news out of the retail group. However, investors may believe that the company’s Super Cheap Auto business is benefiting from the same tailwinds that led to ARB recording strong profit growth in the first half.

    This Tiny ASX Stock Could Be the Next Afterpay

    One little-known Australian IPO has doubled in value since January, and renowned Australian Moonshot stock picker Anirban Mahanti sees a potential millionaire-maker in waiting…

    Because ‘Doc’ Mahanti believes this fast-growing company has all the hallmarks of genuine Moonshot potential, forget ‘buy now pay later’, this stock could be the next hot stock on the ASX.

    Doc and his team have published a detailed report on this tiny ASX stock. Find out how you can access what could be the NEXT Afterpay today!

    Returns as of 6th October 2020

    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 owns shares of and has recommended Super Retail Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Limited and 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 Why ARB, Mesoblast, Pushpay, & Super Retail shares are racing higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3q8zdC4

  • Why the Nearmap (ASX:NEA) share price is climbing today

    asx growth shares

    The Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA) share price has climbed 3.5% this morning, currently trading at $2.07.

    This follows a broker upgrade on the aerial imagery provider from RBC Capital Markets.

    What did the broker say?

    As noted by the Australian Financial Review, RBC Capital Markets has upgraded its view on Nearmap shares from ‘sector perform’ to ‘outperform’.

    According to the broker:

    We believe Nearmap is on track to print improved customer churn numbers at its February 2021 result… Improved churn demonstrates the product suite resonates with customers and has been resilient in a COVID environment.

    RBC Capital highlighted that with a $100 million in net cash, Nearmap’s cash position is strong. And the broker forecasts that customer churn will fall from 9.9% as at the end of June 2020 down to a 7–8% range.

    The broker is also unconcerned over the impact of a rising Aussie dollar, which has gained 10% against the greenback in the last 6 months:

    The US is approaching around 40 per cent of annualised contract value (ACV), which is a headwind at the ACV line but assists at an earnings perspective as the US is loss-making while the ANZ business is profitable.

    Nearmap share price and company snapshot

    Nearmap provides high resolution aerial imagery technology and location data for companies and government customers across Australia, the United States, Canada and New Zealand. Its technology allows customers to conduct detailed virtual site visits instead of having to fly to and over the locations in person. Nearmap listed on the ASX in 2000.

    At the company’s annual general meeting in November, Nearmap forecast ACV growth for the 2021 financial year in the range of 20–40%. At the time, Nearmap’s CEO Rob Newman said:

    People still need to insure homes, local governments still have to provide services and people’s roofs still need to be fixed… The capital raise in September is setting us up to accelerate growth and we see fiscal 21 as the way to build the foundation to scale rapidly.

    We’re seeing this year as a foundational year to return to 20 per cent to 40 per cent year-on-year growth.

    2021 hasn’t been off to a great start for Nearmap shareholders, with the share price down 11.9% year-to-date at the closing bell yesterday. That compares to a 0.1% gain for the broader All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

    With this morning’s gains tallied in, the Nearmap share price is down 9.3% since 4 January.

    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 June 30th

    More reading

    Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nearmap 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 Nearmap (ASX:NEA) share price is climbing today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

  • The Pointerra (ASX:3DP) share price has skyrocketed 900% since July

    stock chart superimposed over image of data centre, asx 200 tech shares

    After languishing at around 4 cents a share for the first half of last year, the Pointerra Ltd (ASX: 3DP) share price took off last July after the ASX technology company announced a significant investment from well-known Australian tech entrepreneur, Bevan Slattery.

    Slattery is a kingmaker in Australian tech circles, having founded Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT), Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1), and Superloop Ltd (ASX: SLC).

    Slattery’s placement was for 50 million shares at 5 cents each, raising $2.5 million for the company. Since then, the Pointerra share price has exploded, skyrocketing 900% to 50 cents. It briefly touched on a 52-week high of 67 cents.

    What does Pointerra do?

    Pointerra’s technology helps clients manage, visualise, and analyse extremely large and complex 3-dimensional geospatial datasets.

    This sounds like complicated jargon but is actually pretty simple. Mining, infrastructure, and many other companies need to analyse sites in significant detail before commencing construction or excavation operations. Previously, analysing extremely large 3D datasets would require a significant amount of computing power.

    However, Pointerra’s data-as-a-service (Daas) business model allows companies to outsource these complex data operations. Clients can transfer (either online or via a physical hard drive) their geospatial data to Pointerra, and Pointerra will host their data for them. The data is then stored on the cloud and is accessible via a web browser from just about any device, anywhere in the world.

    The amount of money Pointerra charges its clients depends on the amount of data hosted for each client. It also depends on the service performed. As well as simply hosting the data on the cloud, Pointerra can process data and perform analytics. It also operates a 3D data marketplace, connecting buyers and sellers of 3D data and charges commissions on these transactions.

    Why did Slattery invest?

    In the company announcement released to the market back in July 2020, Slattery stated that he viewed Pointerra as having the “potential to be a world leader in (3D geospatial analysis) and ultimately to help feed the geospatial systems behind industries including telecommunications, renewable energy, and autonomous vehicles.”

    Slattery’s comments not only show the faith he has in Pointerra as a company, but also the wide breadth of applications for geospatial analysis technology, particularly in developing industries like autonomous vehicles.

    More recent news out of the company

    In its most recent market update, released towards the end of November 2020, Pointerra reported that its annual contract value had increased to US$5.82 million, an uplift of 18% since the company’s previous business update on 15 October 2020. The growth had come courtesy of new and existing companies across a broad range of sectors in both Australia and the US.

    At the time of writing, the Pointerra share price is sitting at 50 cents a share, giving the company a market capitalisation of $338.72 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 June 30th

    More reading

    Rhys Brock owns shares of Pointerra Limited, MEGAPORT FPO and NEXTDC Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Pointerra Limited and SUPERLOOP FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MEGAPORT FPO and Pointerra Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    The post The Pointerra (ASX:3DP) share price has skyrocketed 900% since July appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

  • Why the Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) share price is rising this morning

    The Avita Medical Inc (ASX: AVH) share price has climbed this morning, after the company reported a 57% increase in revenue in its preliminary fiscal second-quarter estimates.

    At the time of writing, the Avita share price is up 2% to $4.95.

    What did Avita announce?

    In its second-quarter estimates for FY21 ending 31 December 2020, the company advised that total global revenues will be $5.1 million. This is the same as the previous quarter and 57% higher than the prior corresponding period in FY20.

    The vast majority of the revenue came from the sales of its RECELL product in the United Sales, which accounted for $5 million during the quarter. That number is also the same as the previous quarter, but represents a $1.9 million or 62% increase over the same quarter of FY20.

    The company’s balance sheet remains liquid, with cash in hand of approximately $59.8 million – a decrease of $6.0 million or 9% over the $65.8 million held at the end of the previous quarter.

    On the commercial side, Avita signed up 7 new accounts in the second quarter, bringing its total client numbers to 93.

    The company continues to make progress in its RECELL product, enrolling 9 additional patients to support its study in assessing the use of RECELL to treat stable vitiligo. Vitiligo is a skin condition that results in patches of skin losing pigment.

    Quick recap of Avita’s RECELL flagship product

    The company’s business revolves around the rollout of its RECELL technology product in the United States.

    RECELL basically aims to replace the traditional skin graft procedure in patients with burns injury.

    The device helps surgeons use a small sample of a patient’s own skin to produce a suspension of spray-on skin cells, which can then be applied to a patient’s burn site in as little as 30 minutes to regenerate a new outer layer of skin.

    The procedure uses less than 5% of the size normally required in a graft, and has been clinically demonstrated to heal the burn site as effectively as a skin graft.

    Avita is currently conducting clinical trials in its bid to expand the usage of RECELL to patients outside of the burn centres.

    About the Avita share price

    The Avita share price has lost about 63% over the last 12 months. The company is dual listed on the Nasdaq and commands a market cap of $330 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 June 30th

    More reading

    Eddy Sunarto has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Avita Medical Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Avita Medical Limited. 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 Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) share price is rising this morning appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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