At the time of writing, the James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX) share price is up by 5.77% to $31.90 after the company released its quarterly results to 30 June 2020.

What was in the announcement?

According to James Hardie, net sales from ordinary activities were down 5% on the prior corresponding period to US$626.3 million. Net profit after tax was down 89% versus the June quarter of 2019 to US$9.4 million. This came as the company recorded restructuring expenses of $11.1 million and asbestos adjustments of $63.7 million. Operating cash flow was $189.2 million, an increase of 35% on the prior corresponding period.

James Hardie’s earnings before interest and tax for the quarter were US$124.9 million, which was flat compared to the June quarter of 2019. The company also announced adjusted net operating profit of US$89.3 million which was in line with the prior corresponding period. 

James Hardie CEO, Dr Jack Truong, commented on the result:

In February 2019 we launched a global strategy to transform James Hardie from a big, small company to  a small, big company that is capable of delivering growth above market with strong returns, consistently. This is now our fifth consecutive quarter of delivering strong results in-line with the core goal of that strategy: growth above market and strong returns. I am very pleased to note that not only do we remain on-track with our transformation, but we are also accelerating our transformation during the pandemic.

During the first quarter we strengthened our liquidity and financial flexibility, delivering US$189.2 million of operating cash flow, an increase of 35% versus the prior corresponding period. This outstanding cash performance was driven by our strong, profitable sales and significant improvement in our working capital. We increased our liquidity to US$693.1 million and lowered our leverage ratio to 1.65x. We expect to continue to improve liquidity and  the robust execution of our strategic plan during the pandemic.

Dr Truong also admitted that the coronavirus had interrupted markets in which James Hardie operated and had created uncertainty in economies and housing markets. Despite this, he expects adjusted net operating profit after tax to be between US$330 million and US$390 million.

About the James Hardie share price

James Hardie is a global building materials company and is the world’s largest manufacturer of fibre cement products. It is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange and the ASX.

In May, James Hardie suspended its dividend until further notice in order to strengthen the company’s liquidity and to manage market volatility.

The James Hardie share price is up 154% since its 52-week low of $12.54 and has returned 14.45% since the beginning of the year. The James Hardie share price is up 43.23% since this time last year.

More reading

• Why Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, CIMIC, James Hardie, & Webjet are storming higher
• Is the Boral share price next to be hit by M&A action?

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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S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and All Ordinaries (ASX: XAO) lithium shares have been in a progressive downtrend since 2018. The sector is, however, showing signs of life with the Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX: GXY), Orocobre Limited (ASX: ORE) and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share prices all up more than 40% since July. Could this be another one of those disappointing lithium rallies or could they be the next ASX shares to buy? 

Different rally, same story? 

Many ASX lithium shares have more than halved in value since the industry’s peak in 2018. Their fall from grace was driven by increasing concerns of a saturated market, weak consumer demand and a tumbling lithium spot price. ASX lithium shares experienced similar rallies to what we’ve seen recently back in early January and mid May of 2020. Following these sharp share price spikes, however, lithium miners got back to doing what they seem to do best – trending lower. 

Lithium is indeed a very exciting space that’s linked to renewable energy, lithium-ion batteries and, of course, electric vehicles. It’s this excitement that could drive short-term share price increases. However, the ultimate determinant of medium to long-term value is the lithium spot price. This is no different than the importance of the iron ore prices for ASX shares such as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) and Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG). 

Weak lithium demand 

In the Galaxy Resources June quarterly activities report, the company highlighted that the lithium market continues to experience weak demand across the entire lithium value chain. Furthermore, Galaxy Resources advised that the full impact of COVID-19 on sales remains uncertain. Looking over at the Orocobre June quarterly report, the company’s cash costs for the quarter were at a three-year low of US$3,920 per tonne and down 13% on the prior corresponding period (PCP). This signals the company’s focus on efficiency and a reduction of fixed costs. However, the average price received had fallen 19% quarter-on-quarter and 52% on PCP to US$3,920 per tonne. Despite a reduction of costs, the company is selling its lithium at breakeven. Orocobre did comment that the medium to long-term outlook remains positive and continues to be further reinforced with increasing government regulation and funding. Notwithstanding weak spot prices, I believe ASX lithium miners are well capitalised to survive. Galaxy was debt free with cash and financial assets of US$108.6 million and Orocobre had available cash of US$154.9 million as at 30 June. 

Foolish takeaway 

I believe there will be a turning point for this industry in the future. However, until spot prices start improving and demand picks up there are more reliable and consistent ASX growth shares to buy. 

More reading

• 3 tips for beginners investing in ASX shares
• BHP and 2 more ASX dividend shares for beginners
• These were last week’s best performing ASX shares
• These are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX
• ASX 200 Weekly Wrap: Surging commodity prices snap ASX 200’s losing streak

Motley Fool contributor Lina Lim 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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If you have a spare $2,000 available to help build your ASX share portfolio, there are 2 quality companies that I think are worth considering.

Here’s why Blackmores Limited (ASX: BKL) and Ansell Limited (ASX: ANN) are in my buy zone right now.

Blackmores

Blackmores is a quality ASX share with a familiar brand name. The company’s range of vitamins, minerals and herbal and nutritional supplements now extend beyond Australia and New Zealand to Asia.

The Blackmore’s share price has not performed particularly well in the past 12 months. In fact, it has gone slightly backwards during that time.

Blackmores has experienced strong demand for its immunity products in recent months. However, this has been offset by weaker demand in other areas of its business business. In particular, its Chinese operations have not performed as well as expected.

However, Blackmores now has a new Asian expansion strategy is place. Hopefully, this will better position the company for stronger growth in the year or two ahead. With its share price well below pre-COVID 19 levels in February, now could be a good time for patient investors with a long-term investment horizon to purchase shares in Blackmores. 

Ansell

Ansell manufactures gloves and protective personal equipment in the industrial and medical markets. The company has seen strong demand for its hand and body protection products during the coronavirus pandemic. This product range has been been industry-certified for protection against a range of infections and viruses such as COVID-19.

The strong demand is reflected in a positive upward trend in the Ansell share price in recent months. The Ansell share price has risen from $21.43 on 23 March to $39.84 in mid-morning trade today. That’s an increase of more than 85%.

Despite this strong recent rise, I believe there is still potential for above average shareholder returns in the the next few years. The demand for protective personal equipment in the healthcare segment is only going to rise over the next decade. And Ansell is well-positioned to serve a number of regional markets with its product range. Ansell has an entrenched market position, with sales operations in more than 50 countries around the globe.

Foolish Takeaway

Blackmores and Ansell are both quality ASX shares that I believe would be good additions to your share portfolio right now. Both companies have strong market positions in their operating market and strong growth potential over the next 3 to 5 years.

More reading

• Why Kogan and these ASX shares just hit new record highs
• The ASX stocks that could enjoy a consensus earnings upgrade this reporting season
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• CSL and 1 other ASX 200 growth share to buy for long-term growth
• Top ASX Stock Picks for August 2020

Motley Fool contributor Phil Harpur owns shares of Blackmores Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Blackmores Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ansell Ltd. 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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record another solid gain on Tuesday. At the time of writing the benchmark index is up 0.7% to 6,152.9 points.

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

The Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price is down over 3% to $70.13. This decline may have been driven by one of its substantial shareholders selling down its stake. According to a notice, Lone Pine Capital sold around $35 million Afterpay shares during the month of July. Lone Pine Capital appears to have made a large profit on these sales after investing heavily near the bottom in March.

The Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF) share price is down 3% to $4.20 after the release of its full year results. The annuities company posted an 8% decline in normalised net profit before tax to $507 million and a statutory loss after tax of $416 million. In FY 2021 Challenger expects to record a normalised net profit before tax in the range of $390 million to $440 million. This represents a 13.2% to 23% decline year on year.

The IVE Group Ltd (ASX: IGL) share price has crashed 17.5% lower to 66 cents. This morning the commercial printing company advised that Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) will be cease the distribution of its weekly catalogue. This is expected to hit IVE’s revenue by approximately $35 million to $40 million per annum.

The Mesoblast limited (ASX: MSB) share price has plunged 21% lower to $3.85. The biotechnology company’s shares have been sold off today despite there being no news out of it. This could be down to profit taking after some stellar gains over recent months. Alternatively, it could be due to nerves ahead of a meeting with the FDA later this week.

More reading

• 3 tips for beginners investing in ASX shares
• Challenger share price on watch after full year results and FY 2021 guidance
• Up 377% since March: Is the Mesoblast share price a buy?
• If you invested $10,000 in Afterpay shares last year, you’d have this much today…
• Why Kogan and these ASX shares just hit new record highs

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Challenger Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO and 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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The Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD) share price won’t be going anywhere on Tuesday after the airport operator requested a trading halt.

Why is the Sydney Airport share price in a trading halt?

This morning Sydney Airport requested a trading halt while it launched a fully underwritten pro rata accelerated renounceable entitlement offer to raise $2 billion.

According to the release, the offer will allow eligible securityholders to acquire one new Sydney Airport stapled security for every 5.15 securities held on the record date at a price of $4.56 per new security.

The offer price will be the same for both institutional and retail securityholders and represents a 13.2% discount to the theoretical ex-entitlement price of $5.26. This is based on the $5.39 closing price of the Sydney Airport share price on 10 August 2020.

Why is Sydney Airport raising funds?

The airport operator is raising funds to strengthen its balance sheet while it navigates an uncertain aviation market.

Sydney Airport Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Culbert, commented: “The equity raising will position Sydney Airport for the future. Sydney Airport took pre-emptive action at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, putting in place significant liquidity which gave us the flexibility to monitor how the situation evolved. Six months into the pandemic, there remains uncertainty as to how long it will take for aviation markets to return to pre-COVID-19 levels.”

“Accordingly, Sydney Airport is taking further decisive action to strengthen its balance sheet and to help ensure it remains well capitalised to meet the challenges presented by an uncertain COVID-19 operating environment, and to ensure it is positioned for growth in the future,” he added.

Mr Culbert also explained the rationale for raising equity through a renounceable entitlement offer.  

He said: “It is important to note that we chose to raise equity via a renounceable entitlement offer as that is the fairest structure for all securityholders, particularly retail securityholders. Securities will be offered on a pro-rata basis and securityholders who participate will not be diluted, which is important to us given many have been long term investors in Sydney Airport.”

Following the entitlement offer, Sydney Airport’s pro forma net debt position will be significantly reduced from $9.1 billion to $7.1 billion. This means its pro forma net debt to FY 2019 EBITDA will be reduced from 6.8x to 5.3x.

Interim results release.

In addition to the equity raising, Sydney Airport has released its interim results for FY 2020 earlier than planned. 

Sydney Airport posted a loss after tax of $53.6 million for the half year. This was of course driven by a material decline in passenger volumes due to the COVID-19 related traffic restrictions which were implemented progressively from February 2020. For the six months, Sydney Airport welcomed 9.4 million passengers through its gates. This was a 56.6% decline on the prior corresponding period.

One positive was its sizeable reduction in operating costs. They reduced by 20.5% during the first half, with savings tracking in line with its cost reduction plan.

CEO Geoff Culbert said: “We announce our half year results today in a challenging environment. Whilst we delivered a solid start to 2020, the subsequent spread of COVID-19 saw the aviation industry deteriorate dramatically from late February.”

“As an organisation we have adapted rapidly to a new environment and worked hard to tightly manage our costs, strengthen our balance sheet, reach fair and equitable outcomes with our tenants and aviation partners, and implement COVID-safe protocols to protect our passengers and staff,” he concluded.

More reading

• ASX 200 Weekly Wrap: Surging commodity prices snap ASX 200’s losing streak
• Is the Wesfarmers or Rural Funds share price a buy for dividend income?
• Are ASX travel shares like Webjet cheap enough to buy?
• 2 top ASX dividend shares to buy for income in 2020
• Is the oOh!Media share price set to run higher?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 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 CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price has been a longstanding market darling of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and All Ordinaries (ASX: XAO). However, could it be falling out of favour against explosive tech-enabled sectors such as buy now, pay later (BNPL), the resurgence of Aussie miners or even the recent strength of retail shares? Is it time to move on or could the CSL share price be a buy at today’s prices? 

Fair growth but struggling share price 

The ASX 200 has lifted more than 30% since its initial COVID-19 sell off back in March. In the same period, the CSL share price has remained flat overall. CSL’s inability to push higher is perhaps a telltale sign of its fading position as a market darling. This comes as a surprise as many would consider CSL as a forever share that has delivered phenomenal long-term shareholder value. Furthermore, CSL is arguably in a market leading position to assist in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. So why hasn’t the CSL share price lifted like many other ASX 200 shares such as Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp Ltd (ASX: FPH), ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD), Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC) and Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL)?

COVID-19 business update 

From a fundamental perspective, CSL provided the market with a COVID-19 update back in mid-April. This update reaffirmed its FY20 profit guidance of ~$2.110 to $2.170 million and its strong capital position of an estimated ~$1.1 billion available in liquidity. CSL stated that its plasma collection facilities will face increasing challenges amid COVID-19 restrictions, health concerns and pre-assessment requirements. Plasma collections are a foundation for CSL revenues, however its long manufacturing cycle means that today’s collections are likely to underpin sales for the next fiscal year. 

CSL’s involvement in COVID-19 research, prevention and treatment remains a wildcard as the company only stated that it is pursuing COVID-19 responses consistent with its core R&D and manufacturing capabilities. The volatile environment has meant that it will experience modest delays in capital projects and clinical trials which may lag future revenues.

Foolish takeaway

All things considered, it is positive to see that CSL has reaffirmed its profit guidance. This represents FY20 growth of 10-13% which includes a one-off cost of transitioning to a new distributor model in China. Despite the CSL share price trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 45, I believe the quality and consistency of its earnings compensates for what is arguably an expensive valuation. 

Having said that, markets and investors may be expecting more from CSL with regards to COVID-19. The likes of Fisher & Paykel, ResMed and Ramsay Healthcare have seen material improvements in their earnings since the onset of the pandemic. The fact that CSL has reaffirmed its guidance may not be enough to prop up its share price. Furthermore, the long manufacturing cycle of plasma and the potential impact on FY21 earnings could be a potential earnings season risk. 

More reading

• 3 tips for beginners investing in ASX shares
• If you invested $10,000 in Afterpay shares last year, you’d have this much today…
• The ASX stocks that could enjoy a consensus earnings upgrade this reporting season
• These ASX healthcare shares could be fantastic long term options
• Sigma share price jumps on $172 million deal

Lina Lim 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. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ramsay Health Care Limited and Sonic Healthcare 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.

The post Has the CSL share price lost its ASX 200 market darling status? appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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Real estate investment trusts, or REITs, have had a very tough year in 2020, with almost all suffering large share price falls. Yet, the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic have been felt differently across the sector. For example, REITs exposed to shopping malls have seen large scale devaluations of their portfolios due to the economic impacts of coronavirus.

GPT Group (ASX: GPT) is a company with a strong exposure to retail. Consequently, its recent report showed a reduction in funds from operations (FFO) of 23%. In fact, the retail sector of its diversified portfolio lost 11% of its valuation. Another REIT likely to see a large scale reduction in both FFO and statutory profit after tax is Vicinity Centres (ASX: VCX). None of this takes into account the impact of the second lock down in Victoria.

However, the coronavirus has not hit all real estate shares equally hard. Some have sailed through with their business plans intact, while others have been actively growing their assets. Fortunately for investors though, the market doesn’t seem to have caught up.

Diversified real estate shares

Abacus Property Group (ASX: ABP) is a diversified REIT. According to the company’s portfolio statement, it has a balance sheet of $3.3 billion in total property assets as at H1 FY20, a significant increase from FY19. This breaks down into approximately 50.6% in office buildings, 34.4% in storage space, 6.8% in small convenience shopping centres, and about 8.2% in non-core assets.

During the pandemic if you are going to be invested in retail, then in my opinion the small convenience stores are the right ones to invest in. They generally have supermarkets as anchor tenants, along with pharmacies, medical centres and hairdressers. All businesses that are essential – even hairdressers stayed open during the original lockdown.

Furthermore, Abacus has begun to show a growing interest in accumulating storage assets. Recently it increased its holding in rival National Storage REIT (ASX: NSR) to 8.09%. This is part of the organisation’s move to a recurring annuity type income stream, instead of its previous value-add model. 

Lastly, the REIT has a price/book ratio of 0.74 (at the time of writing). This is the ratio between the current market capitalisation and the net asset value. Anything under 1 means that, in theory, you could purchase the entire company, pay off all its debts and sell the assets for a profit. This REIT trades at a reasonable price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 10.34, and has a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 6.93%.

Office real estate shares

I think DEXUS Property Group (ASX: DXS) is one of the best value real estate shares to buy right now. This REIT is diversified and owns $16.8 billion in office and industrial properties. Both of these sectors have survived very well through the pandemic.

Dexus also has 97.2% occupancy for its office properties and 96% for its industrial properties. Additionally, the company has a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) or average lease duration, of 4.4 years. So in the unlikely event that work from home becomes more prevalent, the company still has many years worth of leases that will have to be paid out. Personally, I think the work from home revolution has been overhyped. I do not think this will define future office work in Australia for various reasons.

Dexus is currently trading at a price/book ratio of 0.73, a very low P/E of 5.99, and pays a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 5.91%.

Safe retail shares?

Charter Hall Retail REIT (ASX: CQR) is, I think, the safest retail real estate share of any significant size available today. Like Abacus above, Charter Hall Retail owns a range of regional and sub regional shopping centres. These are in places such as Albany, Western Australia and Townsville in northern Queensland.

If you have spent any time at all in a regional centre, you would know what this means. A small mall, anchored with a shopping centre, pharmacies, bottle shops and hairdressers. Unlike their larger cousins in the big CBD areas, most of these traded straight through the lockdown, particularly in the unaffected regions. Consequently, it is likely have far less problems with rent deferrals.

Moreover, the company has recently paid $112 million for a 52% stake in a high quality distribution facility leased to Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) for 14 years. So not only is it surviving, it is growing.

I estimate the company is trading at a price/book ratio of around 0.76. In addition, it is trading at a relatively high P/E of 21.60 and has a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 6.42%.

Foolish takeaway

The current market volatility has many investors thinking it is easy to make a lot of money quickly on the share market. While this can be done, it is not the normal state of affairs. At some point, investors need to grapple with the issues of creating long-term value through buying great companies at reasonable prices.

All 3 of these REITs are great companies in my view. They are trading at prices below net asset value because the market has oversold them, not because they are performing badly. I am confident that these REITs will return solid share increases over the next 3–5 years, as well as continuing to pay healthy dividends. What’s more, at this low entry point your personal dividend yield will increase as the share price rises.

More reading

• Are ASX retail shares buys right now?
• Why I’ve gone cold on ASX REITs
• ASX 200 jumps 1.2%: Big four banks rise, Qantas update, Mesoblast surges
• What to look for in the Vicinity Centres FY20 report
• Results: GPT share price on watch as net profit falls 247%

Motley Fool contributor Daryl Mather has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Scentre Group. 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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It’s hard to know where to invest $10,000 in ASX shares right now. I like to keep a long-term perspective to drown out the market noise.

Here are a few of my favourite listed companies that I’d love to buy with some spare cash today.

Where I’d like to invest $10,000 in ASX shares

First thing’s first, it’s important to establish a clear investment strategy. That could be a passive strategy buying exchange-traded funds like BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200).

If you’re an active investor, you might want to decide between value stocks or ASX growth shares.

Whatever your strategy, it’s important to have a clear idea of how and when you want to invest.

I like to consider what I think will be industries of the future. Given the increasing importance of data security and storage, I like the look of Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT). 

Nextdc is a leader in the industry with data centres across Australia. A strong growth profile combined with industry tailwinds makes it a buy in my books.

Some investors may not like buying at a record high but I think a long-term investor need not overthink short-term signals.

Another industry I’d like to invest in for the future is renewable energy. That means AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) is on my radar.

The ASX energy share has slumped 17.2% lower this year and could be a bargain. Granted, AGL is not a pure renewables share. However, it is one of Australia’s largest energy producers with a significant interest in renewables.

If you’re investing for the long-term, I think AGL is well-placed to capitalise on any shift towards renewable energy in the decades ahead.

Finally, I’d like to invest some of that $10,000 in biotech shares. There are a couple of strong candidates at the moment but I like the look of Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV).

Polynovo develops innovative medical devices utilising the patented bioabsorbable polymer technology Novosorb.

The Aussie biotech company has some exciting developments as it pushes its NovoSorb BTM product towards more medical applications.

The Polynovo share price is surging higher but I think the ASX biotech share could be a strong buy for long-term growth.

Foolish takeaway

These are just a few of my favourite ASX shares to invest in for the long-term.

There are plenty of strong buys in the market right now and I think we’ll see more after the August earnings season.

More reading

• 3 tips for beginners investing in ASX shares
• If you invested $10,000 in Afterpay shares last year, you’d have this much today…
• Is the Origin Energy share price cheap or will it keep falling?
• 3 exciting ASX growth shares to buy with $3,000
• 3 ASX shares I would buy right now at these prices

Ken Hall 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 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 Where I’d invest $10,000 in ASX shares for the future appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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Now is a great time for beginners to start buying ASX shares. Yes, the market is volatile and the coronavirus pandemic has caused a lot of uncertainty.

However, that also presents a buying opportunity. On top of that, the August earnings season is really heating up.

That means ASX shares could see their prices rise or fall based on their latest earnings updates. 

Here are 3 investing tips I would have liked to have known when I first started buying ASX shares.

1. Buy high-quality ASX shares

This is the first and arguably most important step. It’s often tempting to punt on penny stocks when you first start trading.

While small-cap ASX shares can generate strong returns, they are also riskier than blue-chip companies.

If you’re just setting up your portfolio, I think it’s good to have some cornerstone investments.

That could be a high cash flow company like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP). It could also be a company with a strong growth profile like Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV).

2. Seek out diversification

While it’s tempting to put all your money in one hot stock like Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT), this is really not a wise choice.

Spreading your risk across multiple high-quality companies is a good idea. This reduces company-specific risk while keeping your returns high.

This can be achieved by buying a few blue-chips like BHP or CSL Limited (ASX: CSL). Another option is to buy a broad market exchange-traded fund (ETF) like Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS).

3. Don’t overtrade with your ASX share portfolio

Overtrading is a trap for young players. Every time you buy or sell ASX shares you’ll incur brokerage and tax expenses.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has been volatile in 2020, which makes it tempting to buy and sell various companies.

It’s worth recognising your own behavioural flaws. If you can see where your psychological weaknesses are, you can help to mitigate the impact of these on your investment returns.

Foolish takeaway

These are tough economic times and it can be scary to invest in ASX shares right now.

However, with just a few easy tips, you can set your portfolio up for long-term success in 2020.

More reading

• If you invested $10,000 in Afterpay shares last year, you’d have this much today…
• Where is the Bega Cheese share price headed in August?
• Is the Origin Energy share price cheap or will it keep falling?
• 3 exciting ASX growth shares to buy with $3,000
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Ken Hall owns shares of Vanguard Australian Shares Index. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of CSL Ltd. and POLYNOVO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T 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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The SCA Property Group (ASX: SCP) share price is one to watch this morning after the Aussie real estate investment trust (REIT) reported its full-year earnings.

What were the financial highlights?

SCA Property posted a 22% slump in full-year net profit after tax (NPAT) to $85.5 million during the year. That was largely due to a coronavirus impact of $20.5 million with investment property valuation slipping $87.9 million.

The group’s funds from operations (FFO) edged 0.7% lower compared to FY19 figures to $140.8 million. Adjusted FFO fell 2.4% to $124.3 million as distributions slumped 15.0% from FY19.

The 12.50 cents per unit distribution that was announced this morning represents a 99.4% payout from the retail REIT.

Gearing totalled 25.6% as at 30 June 2020, down from 32.8% last year, largely thanks to $279.3 million of equity raised in April and May 2020.

Net tangible assets came in at $2.22 per unit, down by 2.2% from $2.27 in FY19. For context, the SCA Property share price closed at $2.21 per share on Monday.

What else could move the SCA Property share price?

Management also provided some key operational updates alongside the REIT’s full-year financials.

Supermarket moving annual turnover (MAT) growth came in at 5.1%, up from 2.0% last year, while discount department store MAT jumped 540 basis points to 7.6%.

Mini majors’ sale growth totalled 2.9%, compared to -3.1% in FY19, while specialty sales growth fell 1.1% in FY20.

SCA Property reported portfolio occupancy of 98.2% by gross lettable area (GLA) and has remained relatively stable since December 2014.

The REIT’s specialty vacancy rate came in at 5.1% of GLA, which is just outside the target range of 3–5%. The Aussie REIT did report that its specialty tenants had been relatively resilient, despite the tough economic environment.

The SCA Property share price will be worth keeping an eye on this morning as investors process the latest updates.

The REIT is also looking to improve its tenancy mix with a tilt towards non-discretionary tenants. Maintaining a high retention rate on renewals and a low specialty vacancy rate are other areas of focus during COVID-19.

Foolish takeaway

The SCA Property share price could be on the move in early trade following the full-year result. 

The REIT said it will continue to take a “disciplined approach” to acquisitions and noted its strong balance sheet position.

SCA Property will not provide FY21 guidance due to the ongoing uncertainty, but advised it will target a payout ratio of approximately 100% of adjusted FFO.

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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. 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 SCA Property share price on watch as FY20 profit slumps 22% appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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