• 3 ASX shares that could make a big turnaround

    The best time to buy ASX shares is when they’re at a low price. But investors don’t push share prices down for no reason. Share prices only go down when there’s something to worry about.

    However, it’s not often that businesses can turn around their fortunes. 

    I think these ASX shares could make a big turnaround:

    Share 1: Vitalharvest Freehold Trust (ASX: VTH)

    Vitalharvest is an agricultural real estate investment trust (REIT). It owns citrus and berry farms which are leased to Costa Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: CGC).

    The Vitalharvest share price has fallen 16% over the past year despite Australia interest rates now being at a record low.

    The current setup is that Vitalharvest earns two types of rent. It earns a fixed amount of rent from its farms, there is also a fixed return for any improvements made to the farms. However, Vitalharvest also has a profit-share agreement with Costa at the Vitalharvest farms. There has been some difficulties at the farms recently, which has hurt the variable earnings and sentiment.

    But things could soon improve for Vitalharvest after it was announced that Primewest Group Ltd (ASX: PWG) had acquired the management rights of Vitalharvest. Primewest is a property manager that manages $4.1 billion of assets across a number of sectors. Primewest has also acquired an 11.8% interest of Vitalharvest.

    Vitalharvest will be renamed Primewest Agri-Chain Fund. It will invest in agriculture property and other assets that are critical to the agricultural supply chain like processing and manufacturing facilities for food, food and beverage packaging facilities and storage facilities related to food. It will be looking for long-term tenants and it will target high quality locations throughout Australia and New Zealand.

    I think that the right acquisitions could excite investors and grow the net asset value per share (as well as the share price). Plus, a good result from Costa would help things too. 

    Share 2: BWX Ltd (ASX: BWX)

    BWX is a leading natural beauty business with a variety of brands including Sukin.

    The company hasn’t given an official update since its FY20 half-year result, nor has it done a capital raising. Hopefully that means no news is good news. It may also mean it’s still on track to meet its full year FY20 guidance of revenue growth of 20% to 25% and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) growth of 25% to 35%.

    You may not have believed it could achieve that type of growth a couple of years ago. The new management has really turned things around.

    I thought the FY20 half-year result was very impressive from the ASX share with revenue growth of 23% and statutory net profit growth of 63%. The gross profit margin increased by 20 basis points compared to the first half of FY19.

    A strong point for BWX is that it’s growing all its major brands, and it’s growing in Australia, Asia and North America. It’s on track to become a $50 million supermarket skincare business in Australia and a $100 million skincare business in the US.

    Whilst Sukin is still the key brand and generating the most growth, the US brands are showing solid growth too. In the FY20 half-year result Andalou Naturals grew revenue by 15% to $26.2 million and Mineral Fusion grew revenue by 28% to $12.7 million.

    If BWX keeps growing like this it then it’s got a great chance of producing market-beating returns.  

    Share 3: Reject Shop Ltd (ASX: TRS)

    Reject Shop is a business on the up already. I think that could continue once investors see the next result.

    The ASX share had stabilised itself at the FY20 half-year result where it reported half-year sales were up 0.7% with comparable sales growth of 0.5%. In that result Reject Shop reported that net profit after tax (pre-AASGB 16) was up 5.3% to $11.1 million.

    Reject Shop made an announcement on 23 March 2020. It said at that point that in the last four weeks it had experienced a material increase in sales due to customer concerns about the coronavirus. Comparable sales growth for the first twelve weeks of the second half of FY20 was 8.2%.

    Comparable sales growth for the week between 16 March 2020 to 22 March 2020 was 36.1%. This was driven by strong category performances in groceries, cleaning, toiletries and pet care.

    I don’t expect the ASX share will keep growing like it was during the first set of restrictions, but I think the company may have turned a corner, particularly if customers remain focused on good value shopping.

    Foolish takeaway

    I think each of these shares is a good turnaround idea. I’d pick Vitalharvest for income and BWX for growth. I’m a little less sure of retail – it’s a brutal industry which is steadily moving online.

    5 stocks under $5

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $5 a share!

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

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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 and has recommended BWX Limited and COSTA GRP FPO. 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 Brickworks, Collins Foods, Corporate Travel, & Fisher & Paykel Healthcare are shooting higher

    ASX shares higher

    In late morning trade the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to rebound strongly from yesterday’s selloff. At the time of writing the benchmark index is up 1.55% to 5,905.9 points.

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

    The Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW) share price has jumped 7% higher to $15.93. Investors have been buying the company’s shares after it released an announcement relating to its joint venture with Goodman Group (ASX: GMG). According to the release, the joint venture has agreed a lease pre-commitment for 20 years with tech giant Amazon at the Oakdale West Estate in Western Sydney. The joint venture will build a new state of the art distribution facility at Oakdale West.

    The Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF) share price has surged over 16% higher to $9.73. The catalyst for this impressive gain was the release of its full year results this morning. The KFC and Taco Bell restaurant operator revealed an 8.9% increase in revenue and a 5.1% lift in underlying net profit after tax. The company also declared a 10.5 cents per share fully franked final dividend.

    The Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD) share price is up over 6% to $9.98. This gain may have been driven by a broker note out of Bell Potter. It has just named the corporate travel specialist as one of its top picks in the Industrials sector for FY 2021. It has a buy rating and $13.75 price target on the company’s shares.

    The Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp Ltd (ASX: FPH) share price is up almost 3% to $32.56. This morning analysts at Goldman Sachs responded positively to its full year results by lifting their price target materially. Goldman Sachs has retained its buy rating and increased its price target by 22% to $33.90. The broker has also suggested that Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s FY 2021 guidance could be conservative.

    5 stocks under $5

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $5 a share!

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Collins Foods Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Brickworks and Corporate Travel Management Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Collins Foods 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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  • The top 10 performing ASX shares over the past year

    asx shares

    Over the past 12 months, the S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX: XJO) is down 11%. But some ASX shares have bucked the trend and recorded major gains. We take a look at the top 10 performers over the past year. 

    Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT)

    The Afterpay share price is up a massive 136% over the past year. The buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) provider has seen huge growth in customer numbers which has contributed to the rising share price. Last month Afterpay reached 5 million customers in the US, and this month the company recorded more than 1 million customers in the UK. 

    Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU)

    The Perseus Mining share price is up 124% over the past year and made it into the S&P/ASX 100 (INDEXASX: XTO) in the most recent rebalance. The gold miner produced 57,983 ounces of gold in Q3 FY20 and has benefitted from the recent rise in the gold price. The gold price has increased from around A$2,100 an ounce in January to closer to A$2,600 an ounce currently. 

    Mesoblast Limited (ASX: MSB)

    The Mesoblast share price has gained 123% over the past year and joined the S&P/ASX 100 in the most recent quarterly rebalance. The Mesoblast share price has surged since March on speculation its potential treatment for coronavirus will reach commercial production. The company’s stem cell product candidate remestemcel-L has shown promising results in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 

    Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd (ASX: FPH)

    The Fisher & Paykel Healthcare share price has gained 113% over the past year. The healthcare company announced record results for the New Zealand financial year ended 31 March 2020. Operating revenue increased 18% to $1.26 billion, leading to a 37% increase in net profit which reached $287.3 million. The increase in revenue was primarily driven by growth in the use of Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s Optiflow nasal high flow therapy, demand for products to treat COVID-19, and strong hospital hardware sales. The company was already on track to deliver strong growth before the onset of coronavirus, then beginning in January demand for respiratory humidifiers accelerated to an unprecedented extent. 

    Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

    The Megaport share price is up 82% over the past 12 months with the company also joining the S&P/ASX 100 this month. Megaport is a leader in the network-as-a-service space, providing connectivity via 601 data centres worldwide. Monthly recurring revenue increased by 19% in March to reach $5.4 million. The technology firm boasts 1,777 customers including Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE: UBER), Facebook, Inc. Common Stock (NASDAQ: FB), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), and REA Group Limited (ASX: REA)

    Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

    The Domino’s share price has gained 79% over the past year. Same-store sales in Australia remained consistent post-COVID-19 at a national level. Stores in Japan and Germany have maintained their strong sales performance, while stores in New Zealand and France have reopened following coronavirus shutdowns. COVID-19 caused some franchisees to pause expansion plans temporarily. The pause affected the timing of store openings and franchising, but not the strategy. Over the medium-term Domino’s plans to increase store numbers by 7%–9% per year and increase same-store sales by 3%–6% per year.  

    Silver Lake Resources Limited. (ASX: SLR)

    The Silver Lake Resources share price has gained 79% over the past year. Another miner to benefit from the rising gold price, Silver Lake Resources produces 65,548 million ounces of gold in the March quarter. The miner also produced 438 tonnes of copper. During the quarter Silver Lake Resources reported record sales of 68,183 ounces of gold at an average price of $2,170 an ounce. All-in sustaining costs of production were $1,380 an ounce. In April the company upgraded its FY20 sales guidance to 250,000 to 260,000 ounces of gold equivalent. 

    Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV)

    The PolyNovo share price has gained 72% over the past year. The healthcare company is behind a biodegradable polymer technology with applications in the dermal scaffold, hernia, and breast markets. The value of near-term addressable markets is estimated at US$7.5 billion. Sales revenue increased 129% in 1H FY20 to $8.57 million. Record sales were recorded in the US in March, and Australia and New Zealand are on track for a strong Q3. The company is building a factory to produce its hernia products which is expected to be completed in July 2020. PolyNovo plans to enter the US$1.5 billion United States hernia market in July or August 2021. 

    JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH)

    The JB Hi-Fi share price is up 67% over the past 12 months with sales accelerating during coronavirus lockdowns. In 2H FY20 to date, JB Hi-Fi Australia’s sales are up 20%, while The Good Guys sales are up 23.5%. The strong sales growth has come as customers spend more time working and learning from home. Additional operating costs have been incurred but have been more than offset by elevated sales growth and disciplined cost control. New Zealand stores were impacted by temporary closures which means 2H FY20 sales to date have dropped 19.3%, however, this is a small portion of the company’s overall business. Over the full year, JB Hi Fi has estimated net profit after tax will be $300–$305 million, an increase of 20% to 22% on the prior corresponding period. 

    Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR)

    The Gold Road Resources share price is up 64% over the past year, assisted by the surge in the gold price. During Q3 Fy20, its Gruyere mine produced 59,595 ounces of gold and remains on track to meet annual guidance of 250,000 – 285,000 ounces of gold. Gold Road Resources repaid and retired a $50 million working capital facility during the quarter. It ended the quarter in a strong liquidity position with cash and bullion on hand of $115 million. The company’s $100 million revolving credit facility was drawn to $80 million giving Gold Road Resources a net cash position of $35 million. 

    3 “Double Down” Stocks To Ride The Bull Market

    Motley Fool resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has stumbled upon three under-the-radar stock picks he believes could be some of the greatest discoveries of his investing career.

    He’s so confident in their future prospects that he has issued “double down” buy alerts on each of these three stocks to members of his Motley Fool Extreme Opportunities stock picking service.

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

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    John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Kate O’Brien owns shares of Amazon, BHP Billiton Limited, and POLYNOVO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Amazon and Facebook. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of MEGAPORT FPO and POLYNOVO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Uber Technologies and recommends the following options: short January 2022 $1940 calls on Amazon and long January 2022 $1920 calls on Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Limited, Facebook, MEGAPORT FPO, and REA Group 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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  • Why Pushpay, Ramelius, Saracen, & WiseTech are dropping lower

    shares lower

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is bouncing back strongly from yesterday’s selloff. In late morning trade the benchmark index is up 1.6% to 5,909.1 points.

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

    The Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH) share price is down 1.5% to $8.27. I suspect that this decline has been driven by profit taking after some stellar gains in 2020. Since the start of the year the donation platform provider’s shares have more than doubled in value. Investors have been buying Pushpay’s shares after a very strong result in FY 2020 and positive guidance for the year ahead.

    The Ramelius Resources Limited (ASX: RMS) share price is down 3.5% to $1.93. Investors have been selling the gold miner’s shares despite the release of a life of mine update. This new mine plan confirms Ramelius’ ability to produce in excess of 1.4 million ounces of gold at an average all-in sustaining cost of A$1,250 to A$1,350/oz over a six-year mine life. Investors may have been expecting better.

    The Saracen Mineral Holdings Limited (ASX: SAR) share price is down 2.5% to $5.28. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Macquarie this morning. The broker has downgraded Saracen’s shares to a neutral rating with a $5.40 price target. It made the move due to the strengthening Australian dollar and production growth limitations.

    The WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) share price has fallen almost 3% to $19.24. Investors have been selling the logistics solutions company’s shares after it revealed heavy insider selling. According to the release, over the past few trading days its founder and CEO, Richard White, has sold almost $46 million worth of shares. No explanation was provided for the sale. Mr White does still own approximately 151 million WiseTech shares.

    5 stocks under $5

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $5 a share!

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 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 WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended PUSHPAY FPO NZX. 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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  • Brickworks and Goodman shares jump on Amazon deal

    Amazon cardboard box

    Both the Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW) share price and the Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) share price are pushing higher on Tuesday after a positive update on their 50:50 joint venture – JV Trust.

    At the time of writing the Brickworks share price is up over 5% to $15.68 and the Goodman share price is up 1.5% to $15.25.

    What was the update?

    This morning Brickworks announced that a lease pre-commitment for 20 years with ecommerce behemoth Amazon has been secured at JV Trust’s Oakdale West Estate in Western Sydney.

    Amazon is the second customer to pre-commit to the new state of the art distribution facility at Oakdale West. This follows the announcement of an agreement with supermarket giant Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) in January 2019.

    The target building completion date is in the second half of 2021. Following completion of the two facilities, the gross assets held within the various JV Trust assets across Western Sydney and Brisbane is expected to exceed $3 billion.

    In addition to this, JV Trust has sufficient remaining land to provide in excess of a five-year development pipeline.

    Brickworks Managing Director, Mr Lindsay Partridge, commented: “Brickworks is delighted to further strengthen the JV Trust by securing this significant pre-commitment. Amazon is well known around the world as a symbol of the accelerating trend to online shopping. We are at the forefront of the ecommerce revolution, with our facilities playing a pivotal role in helping our customers meet the supply chain needs of this new economy.”

    “We are also excited by the design of the facility, which responds to the increasing need for technology innovation from our customers. This project will deliver profit during the development phase and further rental income for the Property Trust once complete,” he added.

    3 “Double Down” Stocks To Ride The Bull Market

    Motley Fool resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has stumbled upon three under-the-radar stock picks he believes could be some of the greatest discoveries of his investing career.

    He’s so confident in their future prospects that he has issued “double down” buy alerts on each of these three stocks to members of his Motley Fool Extreme Opportunities stock picking service.

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 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 Brickworks. 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 it time for a plan B with ASX 200 shares?

    It was a tough day on Monday for ASX 200 shares as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) slumped 1.51% lower to 5,815.0 points.

    There were broad-based losses across the market with ASX travel, financial and energy shares hit hard.

    This came as investors begin to fear the growing number of coronavirus cases in the United States. I think the market is trying to price in the economic impact of any potential shutdowns or further restrictions around the world.

    So, with a number of ASX 200 shares slumping lower in yesterday’s trade, is it time for a plan B?

    Is it time to buy, hold or sell ASX 200 shares?

    It’s easy to see a sharp market fall as a warning sign of what’s to come. That’s even more so the case coming off one of the steepest bear markets in history back in March.

    However, I personally don’t think it’s time for a plan B with ASX 200 shares. The buy and hold strategy has worked wonders for many investors over a number of decades.

    I don’t see why this time around should be any different. That means that panic buying and selling shares could do more harm than good once you account for taxes and transaction costs.

    At most, I could look to position my portfolio more defensively. That could mean buying ASX 200 gold shares like Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) or companies with non-cyclical earnings like Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL).

    However, I don’t think the middle of a pandemic is a great time to change my investment strategy. Given I’m investing for 30-odd years into the future, what happens today really shouldn’t worry me.

    Of course, that’s easier said than done when watching ASX 200 shares plummet lower. However, there are still pockets of the ASX that are performing strongly including retailers like JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH).

    Foolish takeaway

    Rather than panic in the face of a volatile market, I prefer to consider it a buying opportunity. Large ASX 200 share price movements can mean prices are dislocated from reality – and it could be time to snap up a bargain.

    5 stocks under $5

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $5 a share!

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 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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  • Collins Foods share price rockets 14% higher on FY 2020 result

    The Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF) share price is rocketing higher on Tuesday following the release of its full year results.

    At the time of writing the quick service restaurant operator’s shares are up 14.5% to $9.57.

    How did Collins Foods perform in FY 2020?

    For the 53 weeks ended 3 May 2020, Collins Foods delivered an 8.9% increase in revenue to $981.7 million.

    This was driven by KFC Australia same store sales (SSS) growth of 3.5% and new KFC and Taco Bell store openings (9 KFC restaurants in Australia and 4 in Europe and 8 new Taco Bells). This offset a 5.8% SSS decline by its KFC Europe business.

    The latter was largely the result of COVID-19 impacts. Prior to the pandemic, the company’s SSS were up 5.6% in Germany and down 3.6% in the Netherlands.

    Collins Foods earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) post-AASB16 came in at $175.6 million. This was up 56.6% on the prior corresponding period. On an underlying basis, EBITDA came in 6.3% higher year on year at $120.6 million.

    On the bottom line, net profit after tax (post-AASB16) fell 20% to $31.3 million. Whereas, underlying net profit after tax (pre- AASB16) rose 5.1% to $47.3 million.

    Net operating cash flow (pre-AASB16) came in at $96.4 million and its net debt stood at $203.2 million at the end of the period. The latter leaves the company with a net leverage ratio of 1.69, down from 1.87 in FY 2019.

    Finally, the Collins Foods board has declared a fully franked final dividend of 10.5 cents per share. This brings its total FY 2020 dividend to 20 cents per share fully franked, which is 2.5% higher than FY 2019’s dividend.

    An unprecedented business and consumer landscape.

    Collins Foods’ incoming Chief Executive Officer, Drew O’Malley, was pleased with the company’s performance. Especially given how it is operating in “an unprecedented business and consumer landscape.”

    He added: “KFC Australia has once again shown that it is a safe and trusted brand that customers can rely on during uncertain times, allowing the business to quickly recover same store sales growth and continue its expansion into digital and delivery channels.”

    “In Europe, sales were more severely impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, but we continue to experience a steady recovery. Taco Bell sales are also recovering close to pre COVID-19 levels, and home delivery in that brand has been launched ahead of schedule in 11 of the 12 restaurants,” he added.

    FY 2021.

    Mr O’Malley appears optimistic but cautious on FY 2021.

    He commented: “Whilst COVID-19 restrictions have eased in Australia and Europe, we remain alert to the possibility of a second wave and are operationally prepared to deal with the consequences should that occur. We continue to stay focused on the health and safety of our employees and customers above all, though are confident we can also maintain strong unit economics in a broad range of contingencies.”

    The company has plans to continue growing its network in FY 2021. It is targeting 9 – 12 new restaurant builds in Australia and 3 – 4 new openings in Europe.

    It also aims to open 4 – 6 new Taco Bell restaurants. These could be the first of many new restaurants to come, with management commenting that it is “confident that Taco Bell will be another growth engine for Collins Foods in the years to come.”

    No other guidance was provided for FY 2021. Though, a brief trading update reveals KFC Australia SSS of 11.6% and KFC Europe SSS of -13.4% for the first seven weeks of FY 2021.

    3 “Double Down” Stocks To Ride The Bull Market

    Motley Fool resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has stumbled upon three under-the-radar stock picks he believes could be some of the greatest discoveries of his investing career.

    He’s so confident in their future prospects that he has issued “double down” buy alerts on each of these three stocks to members of his Motley Fool Extreme Opportunities stock picking service.

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Collins Foods Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Collins Foods 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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  • Is CommBank still the best ASX dividend share to buy?

    piggy bank wearing crown

    Before the coronavirus pandemic spooked investors in February, I think Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) was arguably the top ASX dividend share on the market.

    The CommBank share price was approaching its all-time high and pushing towards the $100 per share mark. However, the February/March bear market changed all that and sent the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) tumbling lower.

    Since bottoming out in mid-March, however, CommBank’s shares have surged in value. In fact, the Aussie bank is currently worth a whopping $121.4 billion and is one of the largest ASX companies by market capitalisation.

    So, despite a bank dividend cut and other headwinds, could Commonwealth Bank still be the best ASX dividend share going around?

    Why CommBank is still a top ASX dividend share

    I think it’s worth remembering that a top ASX dividend share doesn’t actually have to be paying a dividend right now.

    CommBank paid out an interim dividend of $2.00 per share just before APRA piled the pressure on the Aussie banks. While we could well see little or no dividend in August, this shouldn’t be a big issue for long-term investors.

    Let’s assume the Commonwealth Bank share price more or less represents the present value of its future cash flows. That means investors are trying to value CommBank based on its long-term future prospects.

    If we take one dividend payment out of a discounted cash flow (DCF) model for the banking giant, it shouldn’t affect its value too much. This means it’s not worth panicking about the prospect of no dividends being announced in August.

    Is Commonwealth Bank the best buy on the market?

    According to the ASX, CommBank shares are yielding 6.08% as of Monday’s close. Of course, that number could theoretically be zero if the bank declines to pay a distribution to shareholders.

    I think in the long-term, though, Commonwealth Bank remains one of the best ASX dividend shares. Despite competition from neobanks and offshore competitors, CommBank still churned out a $4.5 billion profit in February.

    If you’re after a steady income stream in the short-term, however, CommBank may not be for you. Instead, you may prefer to take a look at some other ASX dividend shares such as Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN) which is even paying a special dividend in 2020.

    5 stocks under $5

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $5 a share!

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall 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.

    The post Is CommBank still the best ASX dividend share to buy? appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Facebook bows to ad boycotts and will block certain content

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

    Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaking to crowd

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

    Amid a public outcry and a growing boycott by companies that advertise on its platform, Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) said it will begin to block content that violates the company’s policies. In a post to his Facebook page on Friday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared new measures designed, as he said, “to connect people with authoritative information about voting, crack down on voter suppression, and fight hate speech.”  

    Zuckerberg also said Facebook would take down any post that incites violence or suppresses voting. “Even if a politician or government official says it, if we determine that content may lead to violence or deprive people of their right to vote, we will take that content down,” he said. The company plans to label certain other posts that it deems “newsworthy” that might otherwise violate its policies.

    In recent days, more than 90 marketers have joined a boycott of Facebook — the “Stop Hate For Profit” campaign — originally organised by the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, and other civil rights groups. The groups criticised Facebook for not providing more robust fact-checking and for failing to remove political posts containing false or misleading information. The platform has also been accused of being too lax on combating hate speech and not labelling inflammatory posts. 

    The campaign seemed to hit a turning point late last week when a number of high-profile advertisers, including consumer goods giant Unilever (NYSE: UL), Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), and Verizon (NYSE: VZ), joined the boycott. The defections continued over the weekend as Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) and Diageo (NYSE: DEO) joined in. 

    In a statement on the company’s website, Starbucks said, “We will pause advertising on all social media platforms while we continue discussions internally, with our media partners and with civil rights organizations in the effort to stop the spread of hate speech.” 

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

    3 "Double Down" Stocks To Ride The Bull Market

    Motley Fool resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has stumbled upon three under-the-radar stock picks he believes could be some of the greatest discoveries of his investing career.

    He’s so confident in their future prospects that he has issued “double down” buy alerts on each of these three stocks to members of his Motley Fool Extreme Opportunities stock picking service.

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

    More reading

    Danny Vena owns shares of Facebook and Starbucks. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Facebook. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Facebook. 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.

    The post Facebook bows to ad boycotts and will block certain content appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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

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  • Saracen Mineral and 2 other companies defying the ASX 200

    shares high

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (INDEXASX: XJO) fell by 1.5% yesterday, dragged down by most of the market. However, there was a number of shares that were able to defy the index and rose significantly. I think this is a good indicator of things to come. Good companies will always be good companies and we seem to be drifting back to a market that values quality.

    Record results

    ASX 200 company Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp Ltd (ASX: FPH) announced a record result. In a preliminary final report released 29 June, net profit for FY20 rose by an amazing 37%. Products to treat COVID-19 patients and strong hospital hardware sales drove the increase.

    Optiflow™ nasal high flow therapy and respiratory humidifiers, from the company’s Hospital product group, saw unprecedented demand. In addition, the company also saw its Homecare product group increase revenue by 9%. This includes products for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and respiratory support in the home.

    Fisher & Paykel saw its share price rise by 6.37% since Friday’s closing price.

    Gold rush

    Several gold mining shares in the ASX 200 rose on Monday as investors ran to safe havens amid falling equity prices. This included Saracen Mineral Holdings Limited (ASX: SAR) and Silver Lake Resources Limited. (ASX: SLR). However, it was the Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price that outperformed the rest with a 4.5% rise since Friday’s closing price.

    H1 of FY20 saw the company achieve record profit, record cashflow, become debt-free and continue healthy margins with a net group cash flow of $242 million. It is also ramping up production on its acquisition of Red Lake in Ontario Canada, a high-grade long-life orebody. As a fiscally conscious company, it recently sold its mine at Cracow. 

    The US gold price is within striking distance of $1,800. I have no doubt at all that as long as things remain volatile, gold mining companies will sell at a premium. 

    A tech stock outside the ASX 200

    Outside of the ASX 200, one of the big movers was mid-cap tech company FINEOS Corporation Holdings PLC (ASX: FCL). This Dublin based company is diligently working away developing and selling software for insurance and government social insurance. It claims to be “the leading core platform for life, accident and health insurance globally”. The software is an enterprise-level package which is also web-based. 

    After listing on the ASX in August of 2019, the company reported an increase in revenues of 37.7% for H1 FY20. Today the company got a boost after announcing a new client acquisition. F&G is a provider of annuity and insurance products from Des Moines, Iowa. F&G and will use FINEOS in both these areas. 

    The FINEOS share price jumped up by 5.87% since the close of trading on Friday.

    Foolish takeaway

    It would be cynical to see these spiking share prices as a futile attempt to profit as the ASX 200 falls. However, the market will likely still value announcements that provide evidence of value. Nevertheless, some shares are still a little random. For example, Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) rose today in defiance of the market. Lastly, gold miners have their own counter-cyclical dynamics playing out right now.

    5 stocks under $5

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $5 a share!

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

    More reading

    Daryl Mather has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of POLYNOVO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends FINEOS Holdings plc. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended FINEOS Holdings plc. 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.

    The post Saracen Mineral and 2 other companies defying the ASX 200 appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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