The Pantoro Ltd (ASX: PNR) share price soared 17.39% higher today to close trade at 27 cents per share. This positive share price action came after Pantoro announced this morning that it had encountered high grade mineralisation in its maiden drilling campaign at the Sailfish prospect on Lake Cowan.

What does Pantoro do?

Pantoro is an Australian gold producer. The company’s Halls Creek gold project in the Kimberley region of Western Australia is its key operational focus. The project provides Pantoro with a platform for growth through the operation of its first producing gold asset and includes underground and open pit mines, and a modern processing facility.

Why did the Pantoro share price storm higher today?

Pantoro announced very high grade mineralisation was encountered in its maiden drilling campaign on Lake Cowan. These finds demonstrated the sheer potential of the site, with the potential for more high grade finds in the future. Some of the key highlights were as follows:

• Drilling returned 8.1 m @ 67.29 g/t Au from 78.6 m down hole
• The intersection included 0.7 m @ 521 g/t and 0.25 m @ 252g/t Au.
• Other significant intercepts include 1.8 m @ 4.25 g/t Au, and 3.5 m @ 2.56g/t Au.
• Confirms historical intersection of 1.5 m @ 461.47 gt/Au, drilled by Western Mining in 1992

Commenting on the results, Pantoro managing director Paul Cmrlec said: “These results from our initial eight diamond drillhole program at the Sailfish prospect on Lake Cowan highlights the immense exploration potential of the project, and in particular the likely presence of further very high grade mineralisation that Norseman has been known for over many decades.”

What now for the Pantoro share price

Whilst the discoveries are excellent news, the company advises the exploration is in very early stages and so it is too early to speculate what the results may mean in the context of the broader project. Nonetheless, the results are definitely a positive for Pantoro.

Pantoro has seen a strong resurgence in its share price this year, climbing almost 280% since its lows in March. The Pantoro share price is up 63% since this time last year, and the company’s market capitalisation is currently sitting around the $270 million mark. 

More reading

• Nanosonics and these ASX shares could be fantastic long term options
• The smartest ASX shares to buy if you have $2,000
• ASX 200 jumps 2.6% on vaccine hopes and jobkeeper
• Where to invest $3,000 in ASX shares right now
• Afterpay and 1 other ASX tech share to buy and hold beyond 2030

Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing 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 Why the Pantoro share price soared 17% today appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2BlU1lW

Interested in adding some mid cap ASX shares to your portfolio? Then you might want to take a look at the ones listed below.

I believe these three ASX mid cap shares have the potential to generate strong returns for investors over the 2020s:

EML Payments Ltd (ASX: EML)

EML Payments is a payments company with a focus on pre-paid cards and digital gift cards. It provides its services to a wide range of businesses such as shopping centres, bookmakers, and salary packaging companies. Unfortunately, its meaningful exposure to shopping malls means the pandemic will inevitably weigh on its second half performance. However, I believe it is well-positioned to accelerate its growth once the crisis passes. Especially given the recent acquisition of UK-based Prepaid Financial Services. This has diversified its offering and gives EML access to the emerging field of banking as a service.

Jumbo Interactive (ASX: JIN)

Another mid cap ASX share to consider buying is Jumbo. I’m a big fan of the online lottery ticket seller due to its growing Software as a Service (SaaS) business and its long term agreement with Tabcorp Holdings Limited (ASX: TAH). Although the latter agreement is on less favourable terms compared to previous agreements, it provides stability and allows the company to focus on the international expansion of its SaaS business. This business is expected to play a key role in the company achieving its target of $1 billion in ticket sales through its platform by FY 2022. This will be triple what it achieved in FY 2019.

Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN)

A final mid cap share to consider buying is Nanosonics. The infection prevention company is one of my favourite growth shares on the Australian share market due to its extremely positive long term outlook. This is thanks to the sustained demand for its industry-leading trophon EPR disinfection system for ultrasound probes and the expansion of its product portfolio. The latter will see Nanosonics launch a number of new infection control products targeting unmet needs in the coming years. Given its reputation in the industry and existing distribution channels, I’m optimistic that these products will sell well and drive further strong earnings growth over the 2020s.

More reading

• 4 ASX 200 shares to buy with $4,000
• How you could have turned $20,000 into $850,000 in 10 years with ASX shares
• How I’d build a $100,000 ASX portfolio of growth shares
• Where to invest $1,000 into ASX shares immediately
• Why the Pointsbet share price is outperforming today

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 Nanosonics Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Jumbo Interactive Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Emerchants Limited and Jumbo Interactive Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nanosonics 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 Nanosonics and these ASX shares could be fantastic long term options appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2BiS2i9

If you have $2,000 to invest then I think the two ASX shares in this article are the smartest ones to buy:

Share 1: Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH)

Not too long ago I wrote an article where I said that I thought the Pushpay share price had run too hard. Since 13 July 2020 the Pushpay share price has dropped 16%. I think it could be back into the buy zone.

Pushpay is an electronic donation payment business. Its current focus is to facilitate digital giving to large and medium sized churches in the US. Pushpay thinks this is a large opportunity. It thinks it can reach annual revenue of US$1 billion if it can reach a 50% market share of this sector.

In these COVID-19 conditions there is obviously more social distancing, so digital giving may be preferred to cash donations by both the church and the person donating.

The ASX share delivered a strong result in FY20 with revenue growth of 32% and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and foreign currency (EBITDAF) growth of 1,506% to US$25.1 million.

In FY21 Pushpay is expecting to at least double its EBITDAF with further expansion of profit margins. In FY20 the gross margin grew by five percentage points from 60% to 65%. Further revenue growth should see the business become even more profitable.

The recent acquisition of Church Community Builder brings exciting cost synergy and cross-selling potential.

At the current Pushpay share price it’s trading at just 34x FY21’s estimated earnings. I think it could be a very smart long-term buy today.

Share 2: Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB)

I think Bubs is one of the most exciting shares on the ASX due to its international growth plans and improving margins. It has a range of products, with a focus on goat milk. 

If a business can successfully expand into Asia or other populous regions, it opens up huge addressable markets for that company.

Bubs is doing a great job of expanding its distribution reach with agreements with international retailers like Alibaba as well as local ones such as Chemist Warehouse, Coles Group Limited (ASX: COL), Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) and Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX: BBN).

The increased distribution network is leading to exciting revenue growth. In the FY20 third quarter Bubs generated quarterly revenue of $19.7 million, this was growth of 67% compared to the prior corresponding period and 36% on the previous quarter.

There were a few key areas of growth that delivered that impressive growth for the ASX share. Bubs infant formula revenue grew 137%. Chinese revenue increased 104% and ‘other market’ revenue rose almost 20 times – this represented 12% of gross sales and included significant growth into Vietnam. I think the strong growth can continue for at least the medium-term as the Bubs distribution network and brand awareness continues to grow internationally.

As the ASX share gets bigger its gross profit margin gets better. Indeed, its gross margin increased in each of the December 2018, June 2019 and December 2019 results. The December 2019 gross margin was 24% and the Bubs infant formula gross margin was 41%. To me, this says the business can continue to become even more profitable as it grows bigger and more of its sales are infant formula related.

In the update about the quarter to 31 March 2020, the company said that it was cashflow positive. That means it’s now not burning cash in its day to day operations. That’s an important step for a rapidly growing business.

Foolish takeaway

Perhaps the sale of Pushpay shares by the largest shareholder group unnerved some investors. But I think Pushpay still has a great future. The lower share price makes Pushpay a more attractive buy to me than earlier in July. Bubs is also a great ASX growth share candidate. I’d be happy to buy both of them for my portfolio at the current prices.

More reading

• My top 5 ASX growth shares to buy in FY 2021
• 4 ASX shares I’d buy with $4,000
• 4 ASX shares I’d buy to protect against a recession
• 3 five-star ASX shares to buy
• How to create a yearly income of $65,000 in dividends

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 PUSHPAY FPO NZX. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended BUBS AUST FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of COLESGROUP DEF SET. 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.

The post The smartest ASX shares to buy if you have $2,000 appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3hxCRRV

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rose by 2.6% today with jobkeeper being extended as well as promising vaccine news from the UK.

The Morrison government has announced that jobkeeper will be extended, but at a reduced rate. The $1,500 per fortnight payment will reduce to $1,200 after September and then to $1,000 per fortnight in the first three months of 2021. Businesses will have to show a continued drop in turnover to qualify. The jobseeker coronavirus payment will also reduce.

Meanwhile, a potential vaccine in the UK is showing good signs from a clinical trial. The University of Oxford and AstraZeneca effort showed that the COVID-19 vaccine trial was safe and induced a strong antibody response in all vaccinated volunteers.

The biggest ASX 200 news today was from the biggest resource business:

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price rises 1%

BHP announced its FY20 production numbers earlier.

Compared to FY19, petroleum production was down 10%, copper production was up 2%, iron ore production was up 4%, metallurgical coal production was down 3%, energy coal production was down 16% and nickel production was down 8%.

The miner expects to achieve full year unit cost guidance at Western Australia iron ore (WAIO), Queensland coal and New South Wales energy coal. Petroleum and Escondida unit costs are expected to be slightly better than guidance.

BHP said that Chinese domestic industrial activity has been improving, spurred on by supportive credit and fiscal policy. But a second wave of infection is a major risk. Potential negative feedback loops to China from the downturn in the rest of the world is also a potential problem.

The ASX 200 resources company believes if China can avoid a second wave of COVID-19 then steel and pig iron production can both rise in the 2020 calendar year compared to 2019.

Big FY20 for Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN)

The online retailer released some of its FY20 revenue and profit numbers.

FY20 adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by more than 57% to $7.9 million. Adjusted EBITDA increased by more than 149% in the fourth quarter of FY20.

In the three months to 30 June 2020, gross sales and gross profit increased by 95% and 115% respectively. FY20 gross sales were more than $94 million and gross profit was more than $17 million.

Kogan.com added another 109,000 active customers during June 2020 to finish FY20 with 2,183,000 active customers.

The online retailer said it finished with cash on the balance sheet of $147 million with no debt and that doesn’t include the proceeds of the $20 million share purchase plan.

Capital raising by Downer EDI Limited (ASX: DOW)

ASX 200 share Downer is doing a capital raising to complete the acquisition of Spotless, an integrated services business.

It’s raising $400 million to strengthen its balance sheet as well as buy the rest of Spotless. Some of the cash will be used to invest in Downer’s core business. The raising will be done with a 1 for 5.58 offer at a share price of $3.75, which is a 12% discount to the last closing price.

Downer plans to exit ‘non-core’ businesses like its mining portfolio and laundries business. It also plans to reduce its cost base with annual saving costs of between $15 million to $20 million. It has booked restructuring costs of $142 million.

Downer also announced some FY20 profit numbers. It expects to report underlying earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (EBITA) of between $410 million to $420 million. Underlying net profit is expected to be between $210 million to $220 million for FY20.

However, Downer expects to recognise $386 million of charges in FY20 which includes goodwill impairment and the restructuring costs.

The statutory FY20 loss is expected to be in the range of $150 million to $160 million.

More reading

• Why Morgans thinks the Afterpay share price could be a reporting season hero
• 4 exciting ASX biotech shares surging higher today
• These ASX eCommerce shares are riding the online shopping wave
• Why the Telstra share price is underperforming the market
• 2 ASX shares to buy during ‘Dry July’

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 Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Kogan.com 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.

The post ASX 200 jumps 2.6% on vaccine hopes and jobkeeper appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/32EzQeg

If you have some spare cash to invest in ASX shares right now, I believe Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) and Carsales.Com Ltd (ASX: CAR) are great options.

Here’s why they are both on my buy list right now:

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF – $2,000

There is no doubt that ASX shares offer investors a wide range of quality companies to invest in. However, the Aussie share market only provides access to around 2% of listed global investment opportunities.

This is why the purchase of some quality exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be a great addition to your ASX share portfolio. ETFs give you easy access to a basket of top quality global companies.

By comparison, investing in individually listed global shares can be a complicated process. You generally need to find a broker who deals in international shares and open up a separate share trading account. Also, trying to pick winners out of the vast array of investment options can be overwhelming.

I am particularly attracted to the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF because I believe it complements a portfolio of mostly ASX shares. This ETF seeks to track the return of the MSCI World ex-Australia Index. This includes over 1,500 of the world’s largest companies in a range of major developed countries. Its top five holdings are the tech giants Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet (Google) and Facebook. All of these tech companies have seen share price returns well above the average returns of the  S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the past 3 years.

Carsales – $1,000

Carsales is a locally-listed, ASX share, but also offers excellent exposure to a growing number of global markets, including Korea and Brazil. Carsales has had a commanding and entrenched position in the Australian automotive classifieds market for over a decade. This is reflected in its strong share price growth of nearly 300% during the past 10 years.

While growth has slowed down in its local market, it still provides Carsales with a solid revenue base, which I believe is highly sustainable over the medium to long term. A growing overseas presence will also boost the company’s overall revenue growth in years to come.

Carsales’ adjusted total revenue is predicted to be flat for FY 2020. However, if achieved, I think this will be a commendable result in what are highly challenging local market conditions. Once pandemic restrictions eventually ease, I am confident that growth is likely to return to more normal levels for Carsales.

Foolish takeaway

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF and Carsales are two very different types of investments. But I believe both would make excellent additions to your ASX share portfolio right now. In my view, these ASX shares are well positioned for above average shareholder returns over the medium term.

More reading

• 3 quality ETFs I would be adding to my ASX portfolio
• Afterpay and 1 other ASX share to buy and hold beyond 2025
• 2 five-star ASX shares for strong long-term growth
• Here are the 10 shares that move global markets
• Carsales share price on watch after director sells $6.8 million of shares

Motley Fool contributor Phil Harpur owns shares of carsales.com Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended carsales.com Limited and Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF. 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 to invest $3,000 in ASX shares right now appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2WHfahU

The ASX tech sector is tiny when compared to the much larger United States market, which is home to tech giants such as Google and Amazon. However, there is a fast-growing base of high-quality technology companies now listed on the ASX.

Here we look at two such ASX tech shares that are on my buy list right now for long-term growth: Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) and Audinate Group Ltd (ASX: AD8).

Afterpay

The Afterpay share price has seen extraordinary gains in recent months, increasing from $8.90 in late March to currently trade at $75.05. That’s a massive gain of 743%.

This strong growth was partly driven by a series of positive market updates, one of which was in late May. In this update, Afterpay revealed it had reached the 5 million customer milestone in the massive US market.

The buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider did see its share price hit hard in the early phase of the coronavirus pandemic. Back on 19 February, the Afterpay share price was trading at $40.50 before sinking to $8.90 in March. However, Afterpay’s current share price is now up by over 85% from its February high.

Whether the strong share price growth that Afterpay has experienced recently will continue over the following months is uncertain. However, I am growing increasingly confident about the company’s long-term growth prospects. Afterpay appears to have cemented its position as one of the market leaders in the BNPL market, as this market continues to grow in popularity worldwide.

Audinate

Audinate is an ASX tech share that doesn’t have as high a market profile as Afterpay. But it has been quietly and successfully establishing its market presence over the past few years. Audinate utilises its audio networking solutions in the production of a range of professional audio equipment. Its core networking solutions improve audio quality and reduce the need for extra cabling and installation.

Audinate recently reported unaudited revenue of $30.3 million for the 12 months to 30 June 2020. Unaudited EBITDA came in at $2.0 million for FY20 and Audinate had $29.3 million cash on hand as at 30 June. I believe this was a very solid result in challenging market conditions.

I’m confident that Audinate is well poised for continued growth. Its core solution currently leads the audio market and I believe demand for its audio solutions will be robust over the next few years.

Foolish takeaway

Afterpay and Audinate are 2 ASX tech shares that I believe are well placed to provide above average shareholder returns over the next 5 to 10 years. I would be happy to own either of them as part of a diversified ASX share portfolio.

More reading

• Why Morgans thinks the Afterpay share price could be a reporting season hero
• My top 5 ASX growth shares to buy in FY 2021
• Warren Buffett’s advice for managing uncertainty
• Why Afterpay, Ecofibre, Mesoblast, & Zip Co shares are racing higher
• 3 tips for investing in ASX 200 shares for beginners

Phil Harpur owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of AUDINATEGL FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended AUDINATEGL 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.

The post Afterpay and 1 other ASX tech share to buy and hold beyond 2030 appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/30tM0DW

If you want to construct a balanced portfolio, I think having a few blue chip ASX shares is a smart move.

Blue chip shares tend to be companies that are well-known, long-established, and have strong financial positions. In other words, they are not going anywhere any time soon, which makes them safer than the average share.

Though, it is worth remembering that not all blue chip ASX shares are equal and some are better than others.

Right now, I think three of the best ASX blue chip shares are the ones named below. Here’s why I like them:

CSL Limited (ASX: CSL)

I think this biotherapeutics company is one of the best blue chip shares to buy. Especially after a recent pullback in its share price due to concerns that the pandemic could reduce its plasma collections and have a negative impact on the cost of future immunoglobulin and albumin production. While this concern is real, I’m confident that other parts of the business, such as vaccines, will offset this. Looking further ahead, I believe its current portfolio of therapies has the potential to drive solid earnings growth over the coming years. However, this should be boosted by CSL’s pipeline of lucrative therapies under development which have significant potential.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

I think Goodman Group is a blue chip share to buy. It is an integrated commercial and industrial property group which I believe is well-positioned for growth over the long term due to the strength of its portfolio and future developments. Especially given its focus on high-quality properties in key locations that it believes will deliver sustainable returns for investors. These include logistics and warehouse facilities which have exposure to the growing ecommerce market through relationships with Amazon, DHL, and Walmart.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Finally, I think that Telstra is another blue chip share to buy today. Times may have been hard for the telco giant over the last few years, but things are looking a lot more positive now. This is thanks to the negative impact of the NBN rollout coming close to peaking and its T22 strategy making very positive progress. Combined with the arrival of 5G internet and rational competition, I believe Telstra’s earnings and dividend could start growing again from FY 2023.

More reading

• Why Morgans thinks the Afterpay share price could be a reporting season hero
• Why the Telstra share price is underperforming the market
• 3 investing strategies to profit from a second ASX share market crash in 2020
• Where to invest $5,000 into ASX shares right now
• Top fund manager names favourite ASX growth shares

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 CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra 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 3 of the best ASX blue chip shares you can buy right now appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3jpBExx