• Gold firms near nine-year high on stimulus bets, silver soars

    Gold firms near nine-year high on stimulus bets, silver soarsSpot gold was up 0.2% at $1,818.23 per ounce by 0510 GMT after hitting its highest since September 2011 on Monday. U.S. gold futures rose 0.2% to $1,821.10. European Union leaders reached a deal on a massive stimulus plan for their coronavirus-blighted economies after a fractious summit that went through the night and into its fifth day.

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  • 3 quality ETFs I would be adding to my ASX portfolio

    ETF spelled out on stack of coins, growth ETF

    I’m a big fan of exchange traded funds (ETFs) and believe they can be great additions to a balanced portfolio.

    This is because they allow investors to invest across a large and diverse number of different shares through just a single investment.

    There are a lot of ETFs for investors to choose from, but three of the best in my opinion are listed below. Here’s why I like them:

    BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

    The first ETF to look at buying is the BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF. This fund gives investors exposure to the 50 largest technology and ecommerce companies that have their main area of business in Asia (excluding Japan). This includes tech giants such as Alibaba, Baidu, JD.com, and Tencent Holdings. Given that these companies are among the fastest-growing in the region, I believe this ETF could generate market-beating returns over the next decade.

    BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

    The second option I would suggest investors consider buying is the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF. As its name implies, this ETF gives investors access to the famous NASDAQ 100 index. This means investors will be getting exposure to some of the largest tech companies in the world such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Netflix. Given the positive outlooks of the majority of the companies on the index, I believe the Nasdaq 100 ETF can generate strong returns for investors over the next decade.

    Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

    A final ETF for investors to consider buying is the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF. This ETF gives investors exposure to many of the biggest companies from indices across the world. Among the 1,579 shares that the fund gives investors access to are the likes of Apple, Nestle, Proctor & Gamble, and Google parent, Alphabet. While I wouldn’t expect it to generate as strong returns as the other two ETFs, it should offer stability and also a source of income.

    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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    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 BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS 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.

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  • This ASX tech share has my attention

    hands holding mobile phone with exclamation mark on screen

    The Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) share price has surged 100% since late March and is, I believe, poised to climb higher. Here’s why this ASX tech share has my attention.   

    Why this ASX tech share has piqued my interest

    What does Life360 do?

    Life360 operates a platform that aims to protect families and keep them connected. The company’s core offering is the Life360 mobile app, which is a market leading platform that has a range of location sharing, driving safety and communication features. Life360 boasts more than 28 million monthly active users (MUA) located in over 160 countries.  

    Why I’m watching Life360

    The most attractive feature of Life360’s platform is that it provides users with peace of mind. In addition to location sharing, the platform also provides SOS alerts, roadside assistance, crash detection and driver reports.

    Last week, Life360 hosted an investor briefing and provided shareholders with an overview of its new membership offering. The company’s membership tiers include a free basic package and silver, gold and platinum paid memberships. Each membership is designed to target families at different life stages, from families with new-borns or teens through to aging parents.

    As a result, the new membership options will allow the company to increase its addressable market, increase premium conversion and provide a longer user lifecycle.

    The outlook for Life360

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, Life360’s operations remained strong. However, with many families confined to their homes, there was a decrease in new registrations. As a result, the company has temporarily decreased marketing expenditure and expects a short-term reduction in registration rates.

    Despite the impact of the pandemic, Life360 remains in a robust capital position with a cash balance of US$57.5 million allowing the company to fund future cash flow requirements. In addition, with the roll out of its new membership options, Life360 could be well on the way to realising its membership milestones once life returns to normal, post-pandemic.

    Should you buy this ASX tech share?

    Life360 listed on the ASX last year and is currently trading more than 26% below its 52-week high of $4.34. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how complex modern life has become and how quickly things can change. In my opinion, as a consumer subscription business, the Life360 platform addresses these concerns whilst offering great margins and a strong growth profile.

    It is also important to note that Life360 was added to the All Ordinaries (INDEXASX: XAO) during the June rebalance, indicating the long-term potential of the company. The Life360 share price has, however, had a strong run from its low in March. As such, perhaps the most prudent strategy is for investors to keep the company on watch and wait for a pullback before investing.

    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 Nikhil Gangaram 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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  • Should infrastructure be part of your investment strategy?

    Busy freeway and tollway, transurban share price

    Infrastructure is an interesting investment class, should it be part of your investment strategy?

    Some investors just group infrastructure into the same asset class as normal shares. Whereas others like to split out different types of businesses on the share market like property, infrastructure and normal businesses.

    If you want to buy shares of infrastructure businesses like Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) and Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD), then you can purchase them just like if you were buying shares of CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) or Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

    What’s so good about infrastructure?

    The attraction of infrastructure is that it can offer reliable cashflow (for distributions and dividends) as well as capital growth over the long-term.

    That may sound like the same benefits of a real estate investment trust (REIT). But, there are plenty of office buildings in the CBDs of cities. Shopping centres are everywhere. Small-scale warehouses can be built in many locations across a city.

    Infrastructure offers the allure of unique assets. There is only one particular (toll) road for a transport corridor. Airports are unique. There’s only one energy grid. And so on. Infrastructure can essentially be a monopoly with reliable demand.

    Before COVID-19 came along, Transurban and Sydney Airport were two of the best ASX shares for solid income and consistent growth. Everyone appreciates being able to drive faster to work or school. If you want travel to Sydney from another state or country then flying is the only real efficient option.

    You can see the same sort of economic moat power of assets like energy transmission, energy distribution, water utilities, energy storage, telecommunications assets and so on. They are all strong, defensive ideas. 

    Is infrastructure a good investment today?

    COVID-19 has really put a spanner in the works of many infrastructure businesses. Airports are hardly seeing any passengers at the moment. Sydney Airport is currently showing the number of passengers is down by more than 90% each month, though domestic passengers has slightly increased compared to April and May.

    Toll roads are seeing a return of some traffic, but not all of it. Some people may be trying to save some money and some office workers are still at home.

    It’s hard to say what the right price to pay for Transurban and Sydney Airport is. Low interest rates theoretically increase the valuations of assets. But COVID-19 has caused a large drop in earnings. Who knows when passengers will start flying in the same numbers again? Will a vaccine or healthcare treatment be completely approved, leading to a possible return to life as we knew it before COVID-19 came along?

    One option could be an infrastructure investment fund like Magellan Infrastructure Fund (ASX: MICH), which is currency hedged. It’s invested in a variety of different infrastructure businesses like Transurban, Atmos Energy, Crown Castle International, Red Electrica, Eversource and Enbridge.

    When you’re invested in a fund of infrastructure assets then you don’t have as much asset-specific risk and you don’t need to worry about which particular infrastructure shares to own at any given time. Over the past year and three years the Magellan Infrastructure Fund has outperformed its global infrastructure benchmark by 7.3% and 5.9% per annum respectively.

    My preferred ASX infrastructure share

    In terms of individual ASX infrastructure shares, my favourite pick is actually APA Group (ASX: APA).

    The business owns a vast network of 15,000km of natural gas pipelines around Australia with a presence in every mainland state and the Northern Territory. It also owns or has interests in gas storage facilities, gas-fired power stations and renewable energy generation (wind and solar farms). APA owns, or manages and operates, a portfolio of assets worth more than $21 billion and delivers half the nation’s natural gas usage.

    APA has increased its distribution every year for the past decade and a half. I think it’s a very dependable share.

    Foolish takeaway

    I think infrastructure can be worth a spot in an investment portfolio. If you want a diversified infrastructure allocation then something like Magellan’s offering could work well, otherwise I think APA is the best pick today.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

    *Returns as of June 30th

    More reading

    Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of APA Group, Transurban Group, and Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Magellan Infrastructure Fund. 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 Should infrastructure be part of your investment strategy? appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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  • 2 high yield ASX dividend shares to buy this week

    Dollar signs arrows pointing higher

    Unfortunately for savers and income investors, it looks likely to be a long time until interest rates return to “normal” levels again.

    Don’t worry, though, because the Australian share market can help you overcome low interest rates.

    But which ASX dividend shares should you buy out of the hundreds to choose from? Two high yield dividend shares that I would buy are listed below:

    Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)

    I think Fortescue could be a top dividend share to buy right now. This is thanks to very strong iron ore prices and the mining giant’s low costs and improving grades. Combined, this appears to have put Fortescue in a position to deliver very strong free cash flows in FY 2020 and FY 2021.

    And given the hard work the company has put into strengthening its balance sheet in recent years, I believe the majority of this free cash flow will be returned to shareholders. Based on the current Fortescue share price, I estimate that this could mean a forward fully franked dividend in the region of ~6%.

    Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

    Another ASX dividend share to consider buying is Rural Funds. It is a property company which has a diverse portfolio of high quality agricultural assets leased on long term tenancy agreements to the likes of Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) and Select Harvests Limited (ASX: SHV).

    Given how its tenancy agreements include fixed rent increases, I believe the company is well-placed to grow its income and distribution at a solid and predictable rate over the next decade. This certainly will be the case in FY 2021, with management intending to lift its distribution by 4% to 11.28 cents per share. Based on the current Rural Funds share price, this equates to a generous 5.5% distribution yield.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

    *Returns as of June 30th

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended RURALFUNDS STAPLED and Treasury Wine Estates 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 Morgans thinks the Afterpay share price could be a reporting season hero

    The true believers in the Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price rejoice! A top broker believes that the tech superstar is a possible reporting season winner.

    This piece of good news comes as the Afterpay share price shoots past current fundamentals. The BNPL stock surged 7.9% to a record fresh high of $74.90 ahead of the market close.

    In contrast, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) jumped 2.3% at the time of writing as the extension of JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments were extended by the federal government.

    What to expect from the ASX reporting season

    Morgans is contemplating how next month’s reporting season will play out when it made the bullish assessment on Afterpay.

    While current market valuations are hard to justify as the top 200 index jumped 45% from its COVID-19 low point in March, this doesn’t necessarily mean a sharp correction is on the cards.

    “Reporting season will be nasty, with EPS [earnings per share] expected to drop ~15% vs FY19, but represent a turning point in the cycle,” said the broker.

    “Opportunities to beat forecasts may exist for domestic cyclicals, where expectations are the lowest.”

    “It also provides an opening for companies that address uncertainty by speaking to the longer term. We think guidance will be rewarded.”

    Should you buy ASX stocks now?

    But I think guidance will be hard to find when ASX stocks unveil their profit results in August. Those buying stocks now are doing so for the expected earnings recovery in two years.

    That’s all well and good as long as you are willing to stomach the nearer-term uncertainty from the coronavirus economic meltdown.

    Here’s the fun part. Morgans believes this reporting season presents some “tactical opportunities”. These are short-term profit making opportunities that nimble investors may be able to leverage.

    ASX stocks that can deliver positive surprises

    Stocks that the broker believes will deliver a stronger outlook or positive trading update not only includes gravity-defying Afterpay, but also the AMCOR PLC/IDR UNRESTR (ASX: AMC) share price and Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd. (ASX: DMP) share price.

    Further, Morgans identified ASX shares with earnings upside risks. These are the A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price, AP Eagers Ltd (ASX: APE) share price, AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) share price and Superloop Ltd (ASX: SLC) share price.

    The Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price could also outperform during the profit season, which kicks off in two-weeks.

    Morgans believes our largest telco could deliver a capital management surprise, even in the face of a possible mobile war with its rivals.

    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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    Brendon Lau owns shares of Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of SUPERLOOP FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Amcor Limited and Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of A2 Milk and AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises 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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  • Santos share price lifts despite non-cash impairment of up to US$800 million

    Oil & Gas stocks

    On Tuesday, the Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price rose 3.79% to $5.33 despite an announcement that the company would take a non-cash write down of US$700–US$800 million before tax in its half year results. 

    What was in the announcement?

    Santos announced that it will take a non-cash impairment of US$700–US$800 million in its half year results (to be released on 20 August). According to the company, the impairment is a result of revised oil price assumptions due to the effect of the coronavirus on energy market demand. 

    The write down by Santos will consist of a non-cash impairment to its Gladstone liquid natural gas asset in Queensland of US$640–US$700 million before tax, along with an impairment to its exploration assets of US$60–US$100 million before tax. The company stated that its reserves would not be affected.

    Santos reported that the write downs would increase gearing by 1.5%, however, it also stated that debt covenants would not be under threat for a number of years at current oil prices.

    Commenting on the write downs, Santos Managing Director and CEO Kevin Gallagher said:

    Since 2016, Santos has implemented a disciplined operating model that is focused on generating free cash flow through the oil price cycle.

    In response to COVID-19 and the lower price environment, Santos announced in March financial measures including reductions in capital and operating expenditure, and a target 2020 free cash flow breakeven oil price of US$25 per barrel.

    Our disciplined operating model combined with the proactive measures taken to reduce expenditure saw Santos generate more than US$430 million in free cash flow in the first half of 2020 despite significantly lower oil prices.

    Gallagher also highlighted that Santos is well positioned to leverage its growth opportunities when business conditions improve. The company also announced that the impairment would be excluded from underlying earnings and was subject to auditor processes and board approval.

    About the Santos share price

    Santos is an Australian energy producer that specialises in liquid natural gas. It has assets in Northern Australia and Timor Leste. Santos is Australia’s biggest domestic natural gas supplier and has operated for more than 65 years. 

    Earlier this month, Santos announced that the Mahalo gas project, in which it holds a 30% stake, had been granted a 30-year petroleum lease by the Queensland state government. 

    In May, Santos announced that it had made an acquisition of assets in Northern Australia and Timor Leste from ConocoPhillips for US$1.265 billion, along with a contingent payment of $200 million.

    In the first quarter of 2020, the company produced free cash flow of US$265 million. It had net debt of $3.1 billion.

    The Santos share price is up 95% from its 52 week low of $2.73. It has returned -35% since the beginning of the year. The Santos share price is down 22% since this time last year.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

    *Returns as of June 30th

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor 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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  • Add these ASX small cap shares to your watchlist immediately

    miniature figure of man standing in front of piles of coins

    If you’re looking to add some small cap ASX shares to your portfolio, then you might want to take a look at the ones listed below.

    I believe all three have strong growth potential and are well worth adding to your watchlists:

    ELMO Software Ltd (ASX: ELO)

    ELMO Software is a $590 million human resources and payroll software company. It provides a unified cloud-based platform that streamlines a wide range of processes for businesses. Its software has been growing in popularity over the last few years and this has continued to be the case in FY 2020 despite the pandemic. This year ELMO Software expects to report annualised recurring revenue (ARR) of $55 million to $57 million. This represents a year on year increase of 20% to 24%. The good news is that this is still only scratching at the surface of its ANZ market opportunity. It also has the option of expanding internationally in the future.

    Mach7 Technologies Ltd (ASX: M7T)

    Mach7 is a $210 million medical imaging data management solutions provider. The company’s software is used by healthcare organisations to create a clear and complete view of the patient. This then helps users make informed diagnoses, reduce care delivery delays and costs, and improve patient outcomes. During the first half of FY 2020, Mach7 reported revenue of $9.1 million. This is materially less than its total addressable market, which is estimated to be worth US$2.75 billion.

    Whispir (ASX: WSP)

    Whispir is a $400 million software-as-a-service communications company which provides an industry-leading software platform. Its platform allows businesses to deliver actionable two-way interactions (SMS, voice messages, email) at scale using automated multi-channel communication workflows. Demand for its offering from new and existing customers has been strong in FY 2020, thanks partly to the pandemic. This led to Whispir reporting ARR growth of 35.7% to $42.2 million for the year.

    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 and recommends Elmo Software. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of MACH7 FPO and Whispir Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Elmo Software, MACH7 FPO, and Whispir 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 Add these ASX small cap shares to your watchlist immediately appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Why the Xero share price is at a new record high

    share price higher

    It has been another very positive day of trade for the Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) share price.

    This afternoon the cloud-based business and accounting platform provider’s shares continued their incredible run and reached a new record high.

    When the Xero share price reached its new high of $96.56, it meant it had gained 76% from its March low.

    It also means that the high-flying tech company’s shares are up 57% since this time last year.

    Why is the Xero share price storming higher?

    Today’s gain has been driven by particularly positive investor sentiment in the tech sector on Tuesday following strong gains on Wall Street’s Nasdaq index overnight.

    It isn’t just Xero pushing higher. The likes of Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) and Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA) are also storming notably higher and have helped drive the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology index 5.1% higher this afternoon.

    But that only explains today’s gain. Investors have been buying Xero’s shares consistently over the last 12 months.

    Why else is Xero charging higher?

    Investors have been fighting to get hold of Xero’s shares after it continued to deliver strong growth across key metrics in FY 2020.

    For the 12 months, Xero delivered a 30% increase in operating revenue to NZ$718.2 million and a 29% jump in annualised monthly recurring revenue to NZ$820.6 million.

    This was driven by an increase in its average revenue per user metric and a jump in total subscribers by 26% or 467,000 to 2.285 million subscribers.

    Xero also started to display further benefits of scale. Although its revenue increased 30%, its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) lifted 52% to NZ$139.17 million for the year.

    The benefits of scale were even more evident on the bottom line, where Xero posted its maiden net profit. Xero’s profit after tax came in at NZ$3.34 million for the year, compared to a loss of NZ$27.14 million a year earlier.

    Is it too late to invest?

    Although Xero’s shares aren’t cheap, I still believe they could be great long term investment options.

    Management estimates that less than 20% of the English-speaking addressable cloud accounting market has adopted cloud platforms. This gives it a huge runway for growth over the next decade. It also has the opportunity to expand into other non-English speaking regions in the future to drive is growth further.

    Overall, I feel this means Xero shares have the potential to deliver strong returns for investors throughout the 2020s.

    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 Altium, Nearmap Ltd., and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nearmap 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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  • 4 exciting ASX biotech shares surging higher today

    Biotechnology graphics

    It’s been a great day for Australian shares today, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) up by 2.3% at the time of  writing. In particular, the biotech sector and the tech sector have been standout performers.

    Here we examine 4 ASX biotech shares that have seen particularly strong share price gains today.

    Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV)

    Polynovo shares are up by 4.95% so far today. PolyNovo develops innovative medical devices including its patented polymer technology NovoSorb. The PolyNovo share price increase today comes off the back of a slide in its share price over the past two weeks, which occurred despite the biotech company announcing a record sales month in June in the US market. Polynovo’s overall sales during the June quarter were 33% higher than the previous quarter. The company now forecasts its FY 2020 sales to be more than twice of those in the prior year.

    Mesoblast Limited (ASX: MSB)

    Mesoblast shares have surged 9.55% today on the back of a market announcement that an advisory committee of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has scheduled a meeting to review data supporting the company’s Biologics License Application (BLA). This is in relation to the approval of RYONCIL (remestemcel-L), Mesoblast’s drug used for the the treatment of steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease in children.

    Mesoblast has evolved to become a world leader in developing allogeneic, off-the-shelf, cellular medicines.

    Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: PAR) 

    The Paradigm share price has surged 6.54% higher so far today.

    Paradigm’s core drug is pentosan polysulphate sodium (PPS), which has has anti-inflammatory and tissue regenerative properties. The drug is now being trialled for the treatment of osteoarthritis and Paradigm is also looking to expand its usage of PPS to the treatment of other diseases, including mucopolysaccharidosis.

    The Paradigm share price was hit hard during the early phase of the coronavirus pandemic, however has been trending upwards since late March.

    Zoono Group Ltd (ASX: ZNO)

    The Zoono share price has been on fire during 2020. It has increased another 7.37% so far today. Since the beginning of the year, the Zoono share price has increased from $0.63 to now be trading at $2.33 per share.

    Zoono has continued to perform strongly from a financial perspective during the fourth quarter. Growth has been driven by growing demand for its antimicrobial solutions during the coronavirus pandemic in the ANZ region. Zoono also has signed key agreements with Johns Lyng Group Ltd (ASX: JLG) and Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN). Unaudited revenue for the fourth quarter came in at NZ$20.9 million. 

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    Phil Harpur 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.

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