The Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price. It’s right up there with the coronavirus pandemic on what is dividing investors in 2020.

There’s no doubt Afterpay’s growth trajectory has been impressive. Steady operational expansion and consistently low bad debts have been hallmarks of Afterpay’s growth.

The Afterpay share price has enjoyed similarly strong growth this year. In fact, shares in the buy now, pay later leader are up 128.5% in 2020.

But, ahead of the company’s August earnings result, is Afterpay set to be an ASX boom or bust?

Why investors are split on the Afterpay share price

One article in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) looked at exactly this issue.

According to the article, a Morgan Stanley report on US payments company had Afterpay at 23rd by market share of the 477 merchants in the US.

What that means for the Afterpay share price really depends on your perspective. On the one hand, Afterpay could have a lot more market to capture in the coming years.

On the other, Afterpay is in a crowded market and may not have the growth that its share price is pricing in.

I think the key for further capital gains is strong customer acquisition and retention.

One potential area of concern is slowing growth in Afterapy’s home market. Australia and New Zealand merchant numbers have slowed in recent months despite strong growth in the United States and the United Kingdom.

The other big factor is keeping bad debt expenses low. One potential area of concern for buy now, pay later is a rising bad debts expense.

That hasn’t been the case so far, with Afterpay’s bad debts remaining low. Investors have been bullish about the company’s growth trajectory and that’s reflected in the Afterpay share price this year.

Foolish takeaway

I don’t like to invest in companies that I don’t understand. The underlying business is simple and has proven to be effective.

However, I don’t understand the Afterpay share price valuation right now. The company has a lot of further growth required to make its current valuation a reasonable buy.

If the current growth trajectory continues, we could see Afterpay hit $100 per share in 2020. But just one slight stumble could see the company’s value plummet this year.

ASX tech shares have rocketed but I don’t want to be caught chasing gains that I don’t understand. That means I’ll be steering clear until I can make sense of the fundamental value being priced in.

More reading

• How these ASX investors made 60% in three months
• Is the Afterpay share price a buy?
• Here’s how to start investing with $5k
• US tech shares deliver massive results – what does it mean for ASX tech shares?
• Will the coronavirus kill cash?

Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 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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ASX growth shares typically don’t pay huge dividends, however they tend to produce strong share price growth over the longer term. This is because a large proportion of company profits are normally re-invested back in to the company to support long-term growth initiatives.

Here we look are two ASX 200 growth shares, both of which I believe would make solid additions to your ASX share porfolio.

2 ASX 200 growth shares to buy and hold

CSL Limted (ASX: CSL)

CSL has evolved over the past few decades to become a global market leader in blood plasma research and disease treatment. It currently has a market capitalisation of $123.55 billion and now now reaches more than 60 countries outside of its home base in Australia.

CSL is playing an important role during the coronavirus pandemic. It has entered into a new agreement to accelerate the development of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

The CSL share price has risen very strongly over the past decade, however it has lost some ground in recent months. Since mid-February, the CSL share price has fallen from $341 to now be trading at $273.48. This, in my mind, offers investors a reasonably good share buying opportunity.

I remain optimistic about CSL’s long-term future. I believe that a strong new product development pipeline will lead to above average share price growth over the next five years for CSL.

Blackmores Limited (ASX: BKL)

Blackmores develops and sells a broad range of healthcare products including vitamins, minerals and herbal and nutritional supplements. Its market reach now extends throughout retailers in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Blackmores’ success over the past decade has been underpinned by a very strong brand. The company invests significantly in research, development and marketing to grow its brand image.

The Blackmores share price has not performed strongly over the past 12 months, and the company’s recent financial performance has been below market expectations.  Blackmores’ operations in China, in particular, have underperformed. However, I believe that Blackmores’ new Asian expansion strategy is placing the company back on the right track for future growth. The company in injecting more funds into its South East Asian business, which is now growing strongly.

Foolish takeaway

CSL and Blackmores are both ASX 200 growth shares that are in my buy zone right now. With both now trading at share prices well below their pre-COVID-19 levels, I believe this offers investors a reasonably good buying opportunity.

Of the two, CSL would be my top pick right now, due to stronger recent financial performance and a more solid track record over the past 3 years.

More reading

• Top ASX Stock Picks for August 2020
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• Is the Woolworths share price in the buy zone?
• Brokers name 3 ASX 200 shares to buy right now
• 3 underloved ASX healthcare shares with strong comeback potential

Phil Harpur owns shares of Blackmores Limited and CSL Ltd. 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 Blackmores 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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Over the weekend, hackers carried out an attack on Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS), creating connection issues for some home internet users across Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. With so many people working from home, especially in stage four locked down-Melbourne, there is a question of whether this could impact on the Telstra share price and present a buying opportunity.

As a Telstra investor, should you care about the Telstra outages?

In short, I don’t think so. Whilst the news of the hack isn’t a positive for both the business and its share price, over the long term, I don’t think it should have a material impact on the Telstra share price. The main reason for this is that Telstra has indicated no personal data was compromised in the attack.

As technology becomes more accessible globally, and more and more money and data is tied up with technology, it’s reasonable to expect an increase in cyber attacks. This will likely lead to increased cyber security costs for the likes of Telstra, but shouldn’t affect your decision on investing, in my view.

What to consider when buying Telstra shares

Telstra is the market leader in its industry. Because of this, the potential for the company to grow is somewhat limited, despite it having some pricing power from its superior coverage. With that said, competitors such as Optus have done a good job in recent years to increase their coverage nationally.

5G is the 5th generation mobile network meant to deliver faster data speeds, lower latency and a more reliable and available experience. 5G is probably Telstra’s greatest opportunity for growth in the coming years. The technology will support the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and thus the number of devices connected to the network. Telstra was the first to enable standalone 5G in Australia.

About the Telstra share price

The Telstra share price currently trades on a trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 19x earnings and a dividend yield of 3%, plus franking credits. I’d say the Telstra share price is fairly valued at present. Investors will, however, gain a better insight into the company’s recent operations when it reports FY20 full year results on 13 August 2020.

Foolish bottom line

Telstra’s strong mobile division should benefit from the rollout of 5G, but I don’t expect the Telstra share price to produce life changing growth from here. However, ASX investors who need more regular income should consider the share for its solid dividend yield.

If you are looking to invest in fast growing companies that could increase by 3, 5 or even 10 times in the next decade or so, check out these compelling ASX shares instead.

More reading

• Buy these ASX dividend shares before the RBA meeting
• 3 of the best ASX dividend shares to buy right now
• I would buy ResMed and these ASX blue chip shares in August
• Buy these ASX ETFs for dividends in August
• Telstra and 2 more ASX shares I’d like to buy with $5,000

Motley Fool contributor Lloyd Prout has no position in any of the stocks mentioned and expresses his own opinions. 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.

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Are Aussie supermarket shares a good buy in August? The Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) share price has climbed 6.9% this year but could be good value in 2020.

Why is the Woolworths share price good value?

I think Woolworths offers good exposure to non-cyclical earnings through its supermarkets business. 

The hotels and retail segments have dragged on earnings but I think they still have long-term potential.

The Woolworths share price trades at a solid price to earnings (P/E) ratio and may be a good short- to medium-term dividend share.

What do the numbers say about the Woolworths share price?

The Woolworths share price is outperforming in 2020. Woolworths shares have climbed 6.9% while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 11.6% this year.

Despite that, the conglomerate’s shares are trading in the middle of their 52-week trading range. That means there could be some more upside for the Woolworths share price in 2020.

Woolworths is the second-largest company in Australia by revenue after Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

That means Woolworths could be a solid cornerstone investment for a diversified ASX share portfolio.

The Woolworths share price is trading at a P/E ratio of 19.25 compared to 24.1 for Wesfarmers shares.

What can we expect from the August earnings result?

Supermarket sales have been strong in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

That may not be sustainable, but I think we’ll see some robust earnings numbers from Woolworths in August.

I’m also interested to see how the company’s technological investments are tracking.

Woolworths is expected to invest $700 million to $780 million in technology with a focus on high-tech distribution centres. That includes a 20-year initial lease term with Qube Holdings Ltd (ASX: QUB) as it looks to streamline its supply chain.

What are the risks?

The big risk that I see a significant slowdown in supermarket earnings as restrictions begin to ease. 

There’s also the potential drags on earnings that we’re seeing across retail and hotels. That includes the company’s ALH Group in the hospitality industry and Big W on the retail side.

However, this may be a good time to invest in a conglomerate like Woolworths. The diversity of earnings across the company’s portfolio could be a factor in delivering a solid dividend in FY20.

More reading

• How these ASX investors made 60% in three months
• AMP and 2 other ASX 200 shares to watch this week
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• These were the worst performing shares on the ASX 200 in July
• 7 ASX shares to watch this reporting season

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

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The Mobilicom Ltd (ASX: MOB) share price rose 4.55% on Friday after the company released a positive business update. The Mobilicom share price has remained steady this morning, currently sitting at 12 cents per share.

Headquartered in Israel, Mobilicom develops communication solutions for mission-critical private networks without the need for any infrastructure. In addition, Mobilicom has a range of patents for technological breakthroughs in this sector. 

Some of the company’s clients include Space Florida, the aerospace economic development agency of the State of Florida, as well as Samsung, the Israeli navy and Japanese telecommunications company NTT. 

What moved the Mobilicom share price last Friday?

The company released a business update for Q2 FY20, showing improved financial performance and an increased pipeline of work. This was in spite of constraints from the coronavirus pandemic.

Mobilicom reported an increase in cash receipts of 42% for H1 FY20, versus the previous corresponding period. When combined with stringent cost control measures, the company has managed to keep costs for the quarter at $0.4 million, preserving a cash balance of $3.6 million.

In more good news for the Mobilicom share price, government grants increased by over 100% compared to the previous corresponding period. These grants are expected to continue for several years, further improving the company’s cash balance.

Mobilicom also summarised its new achievements during the quarter. It won a 2-year drone research project with Censys Technologies for Space Florida. This project is to develop a communications system for autonomous drone and unmanned aerial systems and it has a first-year budget of $770,000.

In addition, the Israeli Innovation Authority selected Mobilicom to work on wireless artificial intelligence (AI) for 5G networks. The company expects the project to run beyond 2021. It has a CY20 budget of $550,000. Once development is complete, Mobilicom will use this technology in its own next-generation autonomous systems.

Lastly, the company announced it has secured an additional patent with the US Patent Office. The patent covers 18 claims for advanced algorithms and innovation concepts, and strengthens Mobilicom’s patent portfolio and knowledge base. 

The company is continuing with the development stage of the new ground controller station (GCS) solution for leading Canadian drone supplier Elbit. This is a major contract for Mobilicom, worth over $2 million.

About the Mobilicom share price

The Mobilicom share price has risen by 130% from its low point on 20 March, valuing the company at $29.66 million. 

More reading

• Will outages make the Telstra share price a buy?
• Analysis: Is the Woolworths share price good value in August?
• My ASX share of the week
• Why Sezzle and these ASX shares recorded huge gains in July
• SEEK share price tumbles after cancelling its FY 2020 final dividend

Motley Fool contributor Daryl Mather 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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My ASX share of the week is City Chic Collective Ltd (ASX: CCX) at today’s share price. I think it has a lot growth potential.

A quick overview of City Chic

City Chic describes itself as a global omni-channel retailer specialising in plus-size women’s apparel, footwear and accessories. It now consists of several brands including City Chic, Avenue and Hips & Curves.

City Chic has 93 stores across Australia and New Zealand, multiple websites operating in Australasia and the US. It has marketplace and wholesale partnerships with major US retailers such as Macys and Nordstrom. The ASX share also has a wholesale business with European and UK partners such as ASOS and Zalando.

The Avenue brand targets value-conscious women and Hips & Curves is an intimates brand – both of these offerings are online-only with a “significant” customer following throughout the US.

Performance before COVID-19

The ASX share was doing very well before COVID-19 hit the world. In the FY20 half-year result it reported that sales revenue was up 39% to $104.8 million with comparable sales growth of 11.3%. In that report it shows that online sales made up 53% – more than half – of its total sales. The northern hemisphere represented 29% of global sales.

Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 20.8% to $19.1 million. Reported profit before tax from continuing operations increased by 15.1% to $16 million. Normalised operating cashflow jumped by 17.1% to $17.1 million.

It was clearly doing well and its underlying cost of business was improving, down to 36% of sales (from 39.5% in the prior corresponding period).

How the ASX share as performed during COVID-19

Obviously COVID-19 was going to impact its FY20 result in several ways.

In terms of sales, the company reported that its trading improved after the initial lockdowns. Total sales grew 31% to $194.5 million, with comparative sales growth of 0.4% – the comparative number makes no adjustment for closed stores.

The reason sales were able to grow so much was because of online sales. US online sales contributed $65.2 million in FY20, compared to $10.7 million in FY19.

City Chic reported that its unaudited underlying EBITDA for FY20 was $26.5 million. That measure is before AASB 16 accounting changes and includes share-based payments of $2.8 million.

Why I think City Chic is a buy

The ASX share has managed to deliver a solid result despite some of the most difficult conditions a retail business has ever faced.

City Chic is now well capitalised after its recent $80 million institutional capital raising. The money will be used to potentially buy the Catherines business. I like that City Chic is looking to acquire plus-size retailers that are struggling but have the potential for a large volume of online-only sales with existing customer bases. The acquisitions will need to integrate well though.

The company can use their period to quickly gain market share. When COVID-19 is over it will have a much stronger market position and will hopefully be able to generate even more profit.

Retail businesses that are able to sell a high proportion of their products online deserve investor attention, particularly if profit margins are going to rise over the longer-term. I think City Chic perfectly fits that description.

The fact that City Chic is growing in the northern hemisphere at such a strong rate is exciting in my opinion. The ASX shares that are able to expand globally usually end up producing strong returns because the total addressable market is so much larger than just Australia (and New Zealand).

At the current City Chic share price it’s trading at 23x FY22’s estimated earnings. This seems like good value for a business with strong growth potential. However, I expect there will be volatile moments over the next 12 months.

More reading

• 3 top small cap ASX shares to buy now
• 3 unstoppable ASX shares to buy right now
• How to become a millionaire with ASX shares starting with $0
• City Chic Collective announces capital raising and acquisition
• Where I’d invest $9,000 in ASX shares

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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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Last month the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) continued its recovery and recorded a 0.5% gain to end it at 5927.8 points.

While this was positive, a number of ASX shares thoroughly outperformed the benchmark index.

Here’s why these 3 ASX shares recorded huge gains in July:

Marley Spoon AG (ASX: MMM)

The Marley Spoon share price was a very strong performer and stormed 81% higher in July. Investors were fighting to get hold of the global subscription-based meal kit provider’s shares last month after the pandemic led to a surge in demand for its offering. According to its second quarter update, quarterly revenue came in at 129% higher than the prior corresponding period at 73.3 million euros. This led to management increasing its revenue guidance for FY 2020. It now expects revenue growth of at least 70%, compared to its previous guidance of ~30%.

Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL)

The Sezzle share price was on fire and recorded an 82% gain last month. The strong gain was driven by increasing investor interest in the buy now pay later industry and the release of its second quarter update. During the second quarter, Sezzle delivered underlying merchant sales (UMS) of US$188 million. This was a 57.5% increase on the first quarter and a 348.6% lift on the prior corresponding period. Management advised that this was driven by strong growth in customer and merchant numbers and the accelerating shift to online shopping.

Whispir Ltd (ASX: WSP)

The Whispir share price was easily one of the best performers on the market in July with a gain of 117%. Investors were buying the communications workflow platform provider’s shares last month after the pandemic accelerated its growth. In its fourth quarter update, the company revealed annualised recurring revenue growth of 4.2% over the March quarter and 35.7% over the prior corresponding period to $42.2 million. Management advised that this was driven by organisations looking to adopt more sophisticated yet easy-to-use communications systems.

More reading

• Is the Woolworths share price in the buy zone?
• 3 coronavirus ASX shares to buy as consumer preferences change
• Why AMP, FlexiGroup, Marley Spoon, & Origin shares are tumbling lower
• Results: Marley Spoon share price surges 40% on market update
• Why Afterpay, Fortescue, Marley Spoon, & Splitit shares are racing higher

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 Whispir Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Sezzle Inc. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sezzle Inc 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.

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The SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK) share price is on course to start the week with a day in the red.

At the time of writing the job listings giant’s shares are down 3.5% to $20.92 following the release of an announcement.

What did SEEK announce?

This morning SEEK revealed that it has decided not to pay shareholders a final dividend for FY 2020. This mean the 13 cents per share interim dividend paid last month, which was down 46% on the prior corresponding period, will be the only dividend paid in FY 2020.

According to the release, the company believes it is better to preserve capital in an uncertain environment in order to fund its long-term growth strategy.

In addition to this, the company revealed that it has strengthened its balance sheet after completing its $75 million subordinated notes issue. The proceeds have now been received and have increased the covenant headroom under its existing senior syndicated debt facility.

Speaking of which, SEEK has also announced the extension of its debt maturity profile. This means that its earliest debt maturity is now November 2022.

At the end of FY 2020, SEEK was operating within its debt covenants and has strong liquidity. The latter includes borrower group cash and undrawn facilities totalling ~$593 million.

A decision not taken lightly.

SEEK’s CEO and Co-Founder, Andrew Bassat, advised that the decision to not pay a final dividend was a difficult one, but one that needed to be made.

He said: “The combination of our debt capital market transactions and the decision not to pay a final FY20 dividend increases our funding flexibility so we can continue to invest for the long term, even in this uncertain economic environment.”

“The dividend decision was not taken lightly but we believe it is the right trade-off to maximise returns for long-term shareholders. Once economic conditions improve, we intend to resume payment of dividends,” he concluded.

More reading

• Are ASX tech shares the only way to protect your portfolio against the coronavirus?
• The blue chip ASX shares to buy in August
• All Technology Index celebrates 6 months with stunning outperformance
• Where to invest $100,000 into ASX shares
• Buy and hold Cochlear and these ASX shares for strong long term returns

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of SEEK Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended SEEK Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The Tabcorp Holdings Limited (ASX: TAH) share price has come under pressure following the release of its preliminary full year results and the announcement of a major impairment charge.

At the time of writing the gambling company’s shares are down 5.5% to $3.36.

What did Tabcorp announce?

This morning Tabcorp advised that it has been reviewing the carrying value of its assets and expects to incur non-cash goodwill impairment charges in the range of $1,000 million to $1,100 million in FY 2020.

According to the release, the non-cash goodwill impairment charges relate to its Wagering & Media and Gaming Services businesses.

Management advised that these reflect an assessment based on underlying assumptions which take into account the impact of the pandemic on these operations, the possible acceleration of retail contraction and long term uncertainty, and the level of competitive intensity and structural changes in the Wagering & Media business.

In addition to this, it believes a potential decline in consumer confidence and increased economic uncertainty could weigh on the businesses.

Though, it is worth noting that the goodwill impairment charges are non-cash in nature and will not impact the company’s financial covenants with its lenders.

As of the end of FY 2019, the book value of goodwill for these segments was $2,945 million. Which means they have lost over a third of their value now.

Tabcorp’s Managing Director and CEO, David Attenborough, said: “COVID-19 has materially impacted our Wagering & Media and Gaming Services businesses. We are facing into a challenging and uncertain environment, and the current operating conditions and those expected into the future are relevant factors in assessing the value of the goodwill in those businesses at this time.”

FY 2020 earnings update.

In addition to the above, the company provided the market with its expectations for FY 2020.

Management advised that earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) before significant items is expected to be in the range of $990 million to $1,000 million. This represents an 11% to 12% decline on FY 2019’s EBITDA of $1,124 million.

And on the bottom line, net profit before tax and significant items is expected to be in the range of $267 million to $273 million. This is a 31% to 32.5% decline year on year.

Mr Attenborough concluded: “We remain confident in the strength and resilience of Tabcorp’s diversified portfolio of assets and are pleased that integration is now substantially complete. We are focused on supporting our people and partners during these challenging times while ensuring that Tabcorp emerges strongly post COVID-19.”

More reading

• Is now the time to buy the Jumbo Interactive share price?
• 2 hidden ASX shares to benefit from coronavirus
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• Why UBS thinks now is the time to be buying this underperforming ASX 200 stock
• Tabcorp share price up 5% as CEO and chair succession plan announced

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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There was an easier way of generating oversized returns during the COVID market meltdown than picking winning ASX stocks.

It is a high-risk gamble to try to predict which stocks will race ahead of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) during the extreme volatility.

Let’s be honest, not many would have dared pile into the Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price when it was sinking under $10.

Capital raising arbitrage

But some investors have found an easier way to make eye-watering returns. They just participate in every capital raising during the crisis as most ASX stocks that were desperately passing the can around are trading well ahead of their offer price.

In fact, data from Fresh Equities found that investors who jumped on the $8.5 billion in new share offers in May and June made an average of 59%, reported the Australian Financial Review.

There were 205 placements undertaken during the period with 76% (or 156 companies) trading ahead of their offer price.

Crumbs for retail investors

The share prices of 17 of these ASX companies have tripled in value, while more than 50 have doubled in value.  

Anecdotally, we can see why as several high-profile cap raises have come off spectacularly well. Perhaps too spectacularly as retail shareholders have been scaled down with the lion’s share of the discounted shares going to institutional investors.

The National Australia Bank Ltd. (ASX: NAB) share price is a classic example. The bank, the only one of the big four, raised capital at $14.15 a pop. While the stock tumbled off its highs recently, it’s still 25% above the raising price.

What’s more, management made a massive scale back of the SPP to retail shareholders due to overwhelming demand.

The same happened in the case of the Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG) share price and several others.

Biggest returns from smaller stocks

But the best returns were to be had in the small caps space, according to Fresh Equities. Small gold and silver miners were the best performers with average gains of 103%, thanks in large part to the surging prices of both commodities.

In second spot were miners outside of the precious metals space with average returns of 83% while technology came in third with 51%.

The strong performance of cap raise candidates is one reason why I believe we will be seeing more companies tapping investors on the shoulder during the August reporting season.

It’s a pity that professional investors will again get the upper hand over the rest of us despite ASIC’s efforts to make such transactions fairer to retail investors.

More reading

• Analysis: Is the Woolworths share price good value in August?
• AMP and 2 other ASX 200 shares to watch this week
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Is the Afterpay share price a buy?
• These were the worst performing shares on the ASX 200 in July

Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau owns shares of Breville Group Ltd and National Australia Bank Limited. Connect with me on Twitter @brenlau.

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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