• The Helloworld share price surged 19% in early August. Here’s why it just lost ground

    shares lower

    The Helloworld Travel Ltd (ASX: HLO) share price gained an impressive 18.9% during the first 7 trading days of August. The travel service provider’s performance was helped by yesterday’s huge daily gain of 11.8%.

    Today, Helloworld’s share price retracted sharply, down by 4.23%.

    That still sees Helloworld’s shareholders with a 13.2% gain for the month of August, compared to a 3.0% gain in the All Ordinaries (INDEXASX: XAO).

    But the company has a lot further to go before its share price regains is pre-COVID-19 levels. Travel shares were particularly hard hit by the social distancing measures, lockdowns, and state and national border closures put in place to contain the virus. And Helloworld was no exception.

    Helloworld’s share price plunged 83% from 21 February before finding a bottom on 23 March. Since then the share price has rebounded 161%. But that still leaves it down 63% for the 2020 calendar year.

    Currently trading for $1.81 per share, Helloworld’s market cap stands at $280.6 million.

    What does Helloworld do?

    Helloworld Travel, formerly Helloworld, is a travel service provider. The company sells international and domestic travel products and services in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the South Pacific. Its 3 segments are retail, wholesale and travel management.

    The retail segment acts as a franchisor of retail travel agency networks. These include Helloworld Branded Network, Helloworld Associate Network, Helloworld for Business and My Travel Group. The wholesale segment acquires air, cruise and land products which it sells through retail travel networks. Its travel management provides services to corporate and government customers. That includes booking customer flights and obtaining accommodations.

    Why is the Helloworld share price tumbling today?

    Last week and into the first 2 trading days of this week, investors were buoyed by increasing reports of a possible coronavirus vaccine and by slowly falling new infection numbers in hard hit Victoria.

    Today, the news of new community transmissions of the virus in New Zealand resulted in fresh lockdown measures in Auckland. This likely led investors to believe that international travel, particularly the trans-Tasman bubble, are further off than hoped.

    Combined with some likely profit taking after its gains of 19% in the first 7 days of August, the Helloworld share price closed down 4.2%.

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    *Returns as of 6/8/2020

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Helloworld Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • ASX 200 drifts 0.1% lower, CBA reports solid FY20 result

    ASX 200

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fell by 0.1% today to 6,132 points.

    Some of Australia’s biggest businesses reported their results today.

    Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

    The CBA share price fell 0.5% today in response to its FY20 result.

    The major ASX bank announced that its cash net profit after tax (NPAT) fell by 11.3% to $7.3 billion. Profit was hurt by a higher loan impairment expense due to COVID-19 – there was a $1.5 billion COVID-19 provision.

    Statutory NPAT rose by 12.4% to $9.6 billion due to gains on the sale of divestments.

    CBA’s board declared a final dividend of 98 cents per share. The total FY20 dividend of $2.98 was down 31% compared to FY19.

    The ASX 200 bank’s net interest margin (NIM) declined by 2 basis points to 2.07%. This decline was due to the impact of lower interest rates, partly offset by lower short term funding costs.

    CBA said that at 31 July 2020, 135,000 of home loans and 59,000 of business loans were still being deferred – that’s 8% and 15% of the respective totals.

    The bank’s CET1 ratio increased to 11.6%, up 90 basis points from a year ago. The deposit funding ratio was 74%, up from 69% in FY19.

    CBA said that the next few months will be critical and some sectors will take longer to recover from COVID-19 impacts than others.

    Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

    Transurban announced its FY20 result today which showed how much COVID-19 hurt its performance.

    For the whole year, average daily traffic (ADT) was down 8.6% across its toll road networks. Proportional toll revenue decreased by 3.4% to $2.49 billion. Proportional earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) and before significant items decreased by 6.4% to $1.89 billion.

    The ASX 200 business reported a statutory loss of $153 million.

    Transurban announced a final distribution of 16 cents per share for the six months to 30 June 2020. This takes the total FY20 distribution to 47 cents.

    Management said that the FY21 distribution will be in line with the free cashflow it generates, excluding capital releases.

    The Transurban share price dropped 1% today.

    SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK)

    SEEK also reported its FY20 result today. It saw revenue growth of 3% to $1.58 billion with reported EBITDA declining by 9% to $414.9 million.

    Net profit after tax, excluding significant items, fell by over 50% to $90.3 million whilst the reported net loss was $111.7 million after including impairment charges of $198 million.

    The ASX 200 business said that its Australia and New Zealand business was resilient and the launch of a new pricing model. SEEK Asia saw ongoing integration and investment to unlock long-term revenue potential.

    SEEK decided not to pay a final FY20 dividend.

    The CEO of SEEK, Andrew Basset, said: “The current macro outlook is highly uncertain. Our near-term profits will be impacted by COVID-19 but our focus is on executing and investing for the long-term. We are confident our investment and long-term focus is the right approach as SEEK’s revenue opportunity remains large and under-penetrated. If we invest and execute well, we can take advantage on improving conditions in the near-term but also a much larger longer-term revenue opportunity.”

    The SEEK share price dropped 8.6% after suggesting that net profit may only be $20 million in FY21.

    Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG)

    Fund manager Magellan reported its FY20 result today. It said that its net profit rose 5% to $396.2 million and adjusted net profit increased by 20% to $438.3 million.

    Magellan’s average funds under management (FUM) increased by 26% to $95.5 billion. This strong result led to Magellan’s total dividends for FY20 rising by 16% to 214.9 cents.

    The ASX 200 fund manager also announced a new series of investment strategies that will utilise Magellan’s investment philosophy and research at a lower cost with diversified portfolios of companies. Within the launch will be a new sustainable/ethical strategy.

    The business is continuing to make progress towards the launch of a retirement income product. It obtained a private binding tax ruling for the ATO and it’s working with other regulators for the rest of the necessary approvals.

    The Magellan share price rose 2.8%.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended SEEK Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • First Majestic Signs Over Potential 100% La Joya Stake To Silver Dollar

    First Majestic Signs Over Potential 100% La Joya Stake To Silver DollarFirst Majestic Silver (AG) has now executed a definitive option agreement granting Silver Dollar Resources a potential 100% interest in First Majestic’s La Joya silver-copper-gold property.Located in the south-eastern portion of the State of Durango in the Mexican Silver Belt, La Joya consists of 15 mineral concessions totalling 4,646 hectares and hosts the Main Mineralized Trend (MMT), Santo Nino and Coloradito deposits.Silver Dollar now has an exclusive option to acquire an initial 80% interest in the property, and if exercised, a second option to acquire an additional 20% interest.For the 80% interest, Silver Dollar will pay First Majestic a total of $1.3M plus annual holding costs for the property and will issue 19.9% of its shares to First Majestic, as well as incurring exploration expenditure of $1M on the project in the next few years.Within 30 days after exercising its first option, Silver Dollar may exercise its second option and acquire the remaining 20% interest by issuing a further 5% its shares to First Majestic. In addition, First Majestic will reserve a 2% net smelter returns royalty interest in all minerals produced from La Joya.“The signing of the definitive agreement to have an option to acquire the La Joya project is a very important milestone for us,” said Mike Romanik President of Silver Dollar. “We engaged some expert help to assist in our due diligence review of the historical data on the project and the unanimous feedback is that La Joya has incredible exploration and development potential, particularly in light of the significant move in metals prices since we signed the letter of intent.”Shares in First Majestic are trading up 6% year-to-date, and analysts have a cautiously optimistic Moderate Buy consensus on the stock’s outlook. That’s alongside a $13 average analyst price target indicating upside is limited from the current share price.HC Wainwright analyst Heiko Ihle has just ramped up his AG price target from $11.50 to $16.50 after revising his gold and silver price estimates.“We feel macroeconomic improvements related to precious metals are increasingly evident in the market… While we note a variety of potential headwinds to continued strength in pricing, including less fear related to COVID-19, we nonetheless believe that longer-term economic impact from the recent pandemic has paved the way for strong pricing in the future” he explained.As a result the analyst raised his long-term gold price forecast to $1,900/oz from $1,700/oz and his silver price estimate to $25.00/ oz from $18.00/oz.(See AG stock analysis on TipRanks)Related News: Roper Looking To Snap Up Vertafore For $5.5 Billion- Report Barclays Lifts Uber’s PT On Recovery Bet Tilray Plunges 10% As Canadian Cannabis Market Remains Under Pressure More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * Royal Caribbean Rises In Pre-Market On Higher Demand For 2021 Cruises * Pfenex Pops 59% On Ligand $513M Buy-Out Deal; Analyst Sees 93% Upside * American Airlines Shares Lifted By Air Travel Demand Data * Walmart vs Target: Which Retailer is the Better Buy?

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  • 2 safe and strong ASX dividend shares to buy during the COVID-19 crisis

    With the coronavirus second wave putting pressure on Australia’s economic recovery, a number of companies may be forced to hold back on dividend payments in the short term

    As a result, if you’re looking for dividend payments in the near term, then you might want to take a look at the safe and strong ASX dividend shares listed below.

    Here’s why I would buy them for income:

    Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

    The first safe and strong dividend share to consider buying is Coles. I think the supermarket giant is one of the best options for income investors due to its invaluable defensive qualities. These have been on display for all to see during 2020. At a time when the pandemic is causing many companies to defer or cancel dividends, Coles looks well-positioned to continue growing its dividend.

    Beyond the pandemic I believe this positive form can continue thanks to its solid growth prospects, expansion opportunities, and its focus on automation. Coles’ current dividend policy aims to pay out between 80% and 90% of its earnings to shareholders. Based on this and the current Coles share price, I estimate that it currently offers investors a fully franked ~3.3% FY 2021 dividend.

    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

    Another safe and strong ASX dividend share to consider buying is Telstra. As with Coles, I think its defensive qualities are one of the main reasons to invest in its shares. These have also been on display during the pandemic, with Telstra able to reaffirm its guidance for FY 2020. Another reason to invest is its T22 strategy. This strategy is cutting costs materially and making Telstra a simpler and more efficient business. Combined with the easing NBN headwind, I believe a return to growth could be on the horizon in the coming years.

    Until then, I’m confident Telstra’s 16 cents per share dividend is sustainable from its current free cash flows. Based on the current Telstra share price, this equates to a fully franked 4.7% yield. Incidentally, we won’t have long to wait to see if Telstra pays a 16 cents per share dividend in FY 2020. It is due to release its results on Thursday morning.

    These 3 stocks could be the next big movers in 2020

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    *Returns as of 6/8/2020

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of COLESGROUP DEF SET. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Are these ASX small cap shares heading for big things?

    shares high

    If you’re interested in adding a little small cap exposure to your portfolio, then you might want to look at the shares listed below.

    I believe these two ASX small cap shares have the potential to generate strong returns for investors over the next decade if everything goes to plan. Here’s why they are on my watchlist:

    ELMO Software Ltd (ASX: ELO)

    The first small cap ASX share to watch very closely is ELMO Software. It is a cloud-based human resources and payroll software company which provides businesses with a unified platform. This clever platform streamlines a number of processes such as recruitment, on-boarding, learning, and payroll.

    ELMO has been growing at a very strong rate over the last few years, but still has a significant runway for growth in an ANZ market estimated to be worth $2.4 billion a year. It also has its foot in the UK market, which is worth ~$6.8 billion a year. Another positive is the company’s hefty cash balance of ~$140 million. The majority of these funds are going to be deployed for acquisitions in the near future.

    MNF Group Ltd (ASX: MNF)

    A second small cap ASX share to keep tabs on is MNF Group. Formerly known as MyNetFone, MNF is a leading provider of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. This technology is used to make telephone calls via the internet. Demand for VoIP services has been growing strongly over the last few years thanks to the NBN rollout. This growth was then given a major boost in 2020 because of the pandemic and the work from home initiative.

    Looking ahead, given how many businesses appear to be seriously considering remote working as a permanent solution, MNF looks well-placed to benefit from the trend. I suspect this could make the MNF share price a market beater over the next decade.

    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

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    James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Elmo Software. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended MNF Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Elmo Software. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why the Magellan share price might be a post-earnings buy today

    hand holding wooden blocks spelling the word buy

    Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG), as of this morning, has joined the small but growing list of ASX companies that have now disclosed their FY2020 full-year earnings in this August reporting season.

    By all indications, it has been well received by investors — judging by the 2.7% the market has added to Magellan shares today (at the time of writing). And fair enough too. The company did deliver a 20% rise in net profit after tax and a 10% bump for its dividend. Not bad for a year containing a pandemic and a share market crash.

    So at its current level of $63.34 per share, is the Magellan share price a buy today?

    What’s new at Magellan?

    Magellan is amongst the largest fund managers in the country. It has exploded in value in recent years as it drew in investors with its globally focused, outperforming funds. For some context, 5 years ago Magellan was only asking around $19 a share. Fund managers are often quite cyclical or volatile companies as investors tend to pile in when markets are booming and pile out again when market’s crash.

    We saw this in play earlier in the year, when Magellan went from around $75 a share to roughly $35 in the space of a month back in March and April. However, the share price has quickly rebounded in recent months, helped by massive fund inflows and continued outperformance during the market crash. To illustrate, Magellan’s flagship Global Fund has returned -0.25% over the past 6 months, which compares nicely against the -13.7% that the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has delivered over the same period.

    Magellan has also announced a few new developments over the past week or 2. It will be restructuring its unlisted Global Fund and its listed equivalents — the Magellan Global Trust (ASX: MGG) and the Magellan Global Equities Fund (ASX: MGE) — into a ~$15 billion consolidated fund that will offer both open- and closed-ended units.

    Along with its earnings today, Magellan also announced it will be expanding into offering low-cost, diversified exchange-traded products under a new ‘MFG Core’ brand. According to reporting in the Australian Financial Review (AFR), these new ‘Core’ funds will offer management fees of just 0.5% per annum and will follow an ‘active ETF’ model.

    Is the Magellan share price a buy today?

    I think Magellan is a great company and one that any ASX investor can consider adding to their portfolios. It’s reasonably priced (in my opinion) right now at nearly 15% off of its 52-week high for one. I also think that the new initiatives that Magellan are pursuing are very positive and will likely lead to strong growth in the months and years ahead. Thus, I would absolutely consider the current Magellan share price a buy today.

    These stocks could rocket in a Post-COVID world (FREE STOCK REPORT)

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    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

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Magellan High Conviction Trust. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Is BetaShares Australia 200 ETF the best ASX ETF?

    asx 200 shares

    Could BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200) be the best ASX exchange-traded fund (ETF) to invest in?

    What is BetaShares?

    BetaShares is one of the biggest ETF providers in Australia. It offers a variety of funds that are focused on different things like industry sectors, geographic regions or a specific index like the BetaShares Australia 200 ETF is.

    What index does BetaShares Australia 200 ETF track?

    ETFs that aim to follow an index will try to provide a return that is very similar to the index. The ETF I’m covering in this article tracks the ASX 200. That represents 200 of the biggest businesses on the ASX.

    The ASX 200 has the largest amount of money allocated to the largest shares like Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and a very small amount allocated to the smallest shares in the ASX 200 like Wastern Areas Ltd (ASX: WSA) and Tassal Group Limited (ASX: TGR).

    What are the biggest holdings of the ETF?

    An ETF’s performance will be dictated by how its underlying holdings perform. If its largest holdings do badly then the ETF itself will inevitably produce disappointing returns.

    As at 11 August 2020, BetaShares Australia 200 ETF had 7.9% allocated to CBA, 7.7% allocated to CSL Limited (ASX: CSL), 7.1% allocated to BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), 3.9% allocated to Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), 3.4% to National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), 3.2% to Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), 3.1% to Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ASX: ANZ), 3% to Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), 2.6% to Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) and 2.4% to Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS).

    These are many of Australia’s most recognisable businesses which are leaders in their respective industries.

    Sector diversification

    The ASX has a high allocation to financials and materials. At the end of June 2020, 27.7% of the portfolio was invested in financial businesses and another 19.6% was invested in materials.

    It’s not surprising those two sectors are so large in the BetaShares Australia 200 ETF’s holdings considering Australia’s large housing market and the huge commodity export industry.

    However, the problem is that these two industries don’t have a lot of growth potential. I think it would be unwise to think commodity businesses can just keep generating more and more profit. Banks may also find it difficult to generate solid growth over the long-term.

    It would be nicer if there was a higher allocation to tech shares, but that’s just how the ASX 200 is currently structured.

    Is it the best ASX ETF?

    In many ways it’s similar to Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS), the same kind of weightings to the ASX blue chips and industries.

    There is a slight difference in annual management fees between the two ETFs. The Vanguard ETF fee is 0.10% per annum but the BetaShares Australia 200 ETF has an annual management fee of just 0.07%. Every little helps, but both fees are so small that they’re both really good passive options.

    The choice between the two comes down to whether you prefer the ASX 200 or ASX 300, and whether you want to go with Vanguard and BetaShares as the provider.

    I’d be happy to invest in BetaShares Australia 200 ETF but there are a couple of other ETFs I’d prefer more. One is BetaShares Australian Ex-20 Portfolio Diversifier ETF (ASX: EX20), which excludes the biggest 20 businesses and the allocation to the other 180 shares offers more growth.

    The other ETF I’d be more interested in buying is BetaShares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC) which is invested in ASX tech shares like Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT), Xero Limited (ASX: XRO), SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK) and Appen Ltd (ASX: APX). Technology shares have strong growth prospects with great gross profit margins compared to typical ASX 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 June 30th

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    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 CSL Ltd. and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Macquarie Group Limited and Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO, Appen Ltd, and Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended SEEK Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Earnings season: Magellan share price climbs higher after positive annual report

    asx shares higher

    The Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) share price went up more than 2.5% today after the company released its annual report for the year to 30 June 2020.

    What was in the annual report?

    Magellan had a revenue of $693.95 million in the year to 30 June 2020 – a 12.4% increase on the 2019 financial year.

    The company posted a net profit after tax of $396.21 million, up 5% on 2019.

    Adjusted net profit after tax was $438.3 million, which excluded the amortisation of intangible assets and after tax transaction costs related to strategic initiatives. This was a 20% increase on adjusted net profit after tax in the 2019 financial year.

    Earnings per share were 218.3 cents for the 2020 financial year. Magellan’s average funds under management were up 26% to $95.5 billion in the year to 30 June 2020.

    The company declared a dividend for the 6 months to 30 June of 122.0 cents, taking total dividends for the year to 214.9 cents per share.

    What does Magellan do?

    Magellan Financial Group is a funds management company that operates listed and unlisted managed funds. It was founded in 2006 and has offices in Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

    In June 2020, Magellan launched the Airlie Australian Share Fund (ASX: AASF), an ETF that typically invests in between 15 and 35 Australian equities. This is one of several listed funds managed by Magellan.

    In a letter to shareholders, Magellan CEO Brett Cairns commented on the group’s results, stating;

    “During the year, the group saw a 26% growth in average FUM (funds under management) over the previous corresponding period, to $95.5 billion (average FUM of $75.8 billion for the year ended 30 June 2019).

    “We are pleased with this outcome, particularly given the severe market volatility seen around the world driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. This could not have been achieved without the performance of our investment strategies which exhibited the strong downside protection traits that are a key component of our investment objectives.”

    About the Magellan share price

    The Magellan share price was up 2.7% to $63.35 at the time of writing, more than double its 52-week low of $30.10 in April. The share price is up 5.47% since this time last year.

    These stocks could rocket in a Post-COVID world (FREE STOCK REPORT)

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    *Returns as of 6/8/2020

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    Motley Fool contributor Chris Chitty has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Will the Qantas share price fly high again in 2020?

    plane flying across share markey graph, asx 200 travel shares, qantas share price

    It has been a tough year for the airline industry with the grounding of flights and uncertainties in the travel market. Revenue has been hammered and companies are burning through their cash pile.

    The Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price has been heavily traded since March, falling 52% from its all-time high of $7.46 reached in December last year. At the time of writing, the Qantas share price is up 0.28% for the day at $3.57.

    So, when will Australia’s largest carrier (and its share price) be flying high again?

    What happened?

    Since early this year, the world has been swept up with the coronavirus pandemic. Entire industries have been shut down and foot traffic has come to a standstill.

    Qantas has seen its revenue stripped away, with its aircraft parked at tarmacs around Australia or in the Mojave Desert in California – where its A380 super jumbo jets have been sent for deep storage.

    The company has taken a number of measures to reduce its cash burn rate of approximatively $40 million a week. Initiatives such as standing down 6,000 employees, deferring capital spending and revoking its dividend payout to shareholders have been implemented to try and staunch the bleeding.

    And whilst management have been diligently working to get the company though this crisis, liquidity may be an issue for the long-run. As of 5 May, Qantas had $2.5 billion in cash, undrawn facilities of $1 billion and an unencumbered fleet value worth $2.7 billion. The recent share purchase plan – which failed to reach its $500 million target – may be a sign of a slow recovery.

    What’s next for Qantas?

    All eyes will be on the company as it releases its full year results. Analysts at Goldman Sachs expect Qantas to report earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortisation and restructure (EBITDAR) of $2.2 billion. This will be a 37% decline on FY19’s result. Underlying net profit is expected to be around $25 million, a sharp drop from $912 million the year before.

    Goldman doesn’t expect Qantas to pay shareholders a final dividend, which could potentially weigh on investor sentiment and send the Qantas share price lower.

    Investors will be looking to see how Qantas plans to minimise costs from the coronavirus outbreak and what proactive measures the airline is taking to create a stronger platform for future profitability and growth.

    Is the Qantas share price a buy?

    In my opinion, I think that while the Qantas share price may be turbulent for now, restrictions will eventually ease and the company will again return to strong profitability. Domestic services are predicted to resume at the end of 2020, and Qantas does have the lion’s share in this market. Given the airline’s strong financial track record and disciplined management team, I would class Qantas shares as a buy for the long term.

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Earnings preview: What to expect from the NEXTDC FY 2020 result

    Two IT workers in front of a data centre

    The NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) share price has been among the best performers on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) in 2020.

    Since the start of the year the data centre operator’s shares have risen an impressive 77%.

    In light of this, expectations are very high ahead of its full year results release at the end of the month.

    In order to keep readers informed, I thought I would take a look to see what the market is expecting from NEXTDC in FY 2020.

    What is the market expecting from NEXTDC in FY 2020?

    According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts expect NEXTDC to deliver a 14% increase in revenue to $203 million. This sits in the middle of the company’s guidance of $200 million to $206 million given in May.

    In respect to its earnings, the broker is forecasting earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of $103 million. This will be a 21% increase on the prior corresponding period and, once again, sits in the middle of its EBITDA guidance range of $100 million to $105 million.

    What else should investors look out for?

    In addition to the above, Goldman Sachs has suggested investors look out for enterprise contracts.

    It commented: “With +12MW of M2 Hyperscale contracts announced, we will be focused on new Enterprise MW and any Covid-19 related acceleration, noting that NXT also signed a major bank contract during the half.”

    The broker also has its eyes on pricing and returns. Goldman explained: “We will focus on the impact of S2 [Sydney 2] contracts on NXT’s blended MW/pricing, along with growth in cross connects, noting Equinix delivered one of its strongest interconnect quarters on record in the Jun qtr.”

    Finally, its analysts will be looking for commentary on recent expansions and future plans.

    It said: “We look for details on P2’s [Perth 2] opening performance, M3 [Melbourne 3] land acquisition, international expansions, and any updates on potential joint ventures / funding structures for these projects.”

    These 3 stocks could be the next big movers in 2020

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of NEXTDC Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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