• Westpac share price lower despite announcing key executive appointment

    Westpac

    In morning trade the Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price is dropping lower with the rest of the market.

    At the time of writing the banking giant’s shares are down 0.5% to $17.87 despite announcing the appointment of a key executive.

    What did Westpac announce?

    This morning Westpac announced the appointment of its new chief financial officer, subject to regulatory approvals.

    This follows the promotion of its previous chief financial officer, Peter King, to the role of chief executive officer in April.

    According to the release, Australia’s oldest bank has appointed Michael Rowland as its new chief financial officer.

    Mr Rowland replaces acting chief financial officer Gary Thursby and joins from accounting giant KPMG, where he is a Partner in Management Consulting, specialising in financial services.

    The company notes that Mr Rowland brings deep experience across the financial services industry, having previously held senior positions at KPMG, ING Australia, and rival Australia and New Zealand Banking GrpLtd (ASX: ANZ).

    He was with ANZ from 1999 to 2013 in various roles. This includes the CFO of Institutional Banking, CFO of Wealth, CFO of New Zealand, CFO of Personal Financial Services, and business leadership roles as CEO of Pacific, Managing Director of Mortgages, and General Manager of Transformation.

    Mr King commented: “Michael’s experience is broad across both CFO and business leadership roles. His most recent experience in consulting as a senior partner at KPMG also brings valuable external perspectives.”

    “In particular, Michael’s expertise in business restructuring, delivering sustainable productivity and revenue programs and in disciplined financial management will be an important contributor to making Westpac a simpler and stronger bank. I’m delighted that Westpac has attracted someone of Michael’s calibre” added the CEO.

    Westpac advised that Gary Thursby will remain as the bank’s acting chief financial officer until Mr Rowland joins Westpac later in the year.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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

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  • The Fate of Nikola (NKLA) Stock Remains Up in the Air

    The Fate of Nikola (NKLA) Stock Remains Up in the AirA lot of people in the stock market want Nikola Corporation (NKLA) to be the next Tesla. Unfortunately, the company filed a prospectus allowing shareholders to dump a large amount of shares that will cause an overhang on the stock. Nikola has yet to generate revenues from vehicle sales, yet the stock already has a market value of $21 billion, an amount approaching the level of Ford. The company has the innovative promise similar to Tesla in the vehicle space with the goal of building a fleet of hydrogen fuel-cell electric trucks, but the hype extends far beyond reality here and the selling shareholders know this.20% of the SharesThe company only went public on June 4 via a merger with VectoIQ, yet shareholders are already getting ready to leave. You can’t blame them with the stock soaring from below $15 before the deal was announced to above $90 at the high point.A few weeks ago, the company filed a prospectus to allow shareholders to unload 23,890,000 warrants and 53,390,000 shares for a combined 77,280,000 shares at a future date. The good news is that Nikola will receive the $11.50 value per warrant for total aggregate proceeds of $275 million. The bad news is that shareholders want to sell over 20% of the company, giving the stock an overhang until these shares are sold.As a result, Nikola will have around $1.0 billion in cash to fund operations.Not Close to Tesla YetThe market is already assigning a Tesla valuation to a company without a production vehicle. At the end of 2019, Nikola listed 14,000 orders for a $10 billion backlog. The company now lists orders of up to $14 billion.The issue here is that full production isn’t expected until 2022 or possibly 2023 at the earliest. Tesla didn’t see its stock surge beyond $40 until back in 2013 when revenues reached $2 billion.The electric vehicle company had a long-proven concept with questions only surrounding Elon Musk’s ability to scale operations to justify the share price. After reaching $2 billion in revenues in 2013, the company took four years to generate $14 billion in total revenues.Nikola might have a large order book, but it is going to take a considerable amount of time for it to ramp up production. Tesla provided a prime example of how even a cutting-edge manufacturer struggled mightily to meet production targets for years.TakeawayThe key investor takeaway is that the valuation for Nikola far exceeds where Tesla traded, even when the latter already had a strong business. Although it’s unclear whether all shareholders will dump these shares, investors should sit on the sidelines until the overhang is gone.The pre-revenue company is fully valued, with NKLA pricing in perfection for an unproven business model. Even J.P. Morgan analyst Paul Coster has a $45 price target on the stock, based on potential 2027 EBITDA of $1.7 billion. Anytime analysts start using numbers out seven years, investors better beware. To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.Disclosure: No position.

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  • Is the Star Entertainment share price a good buy right now?

    Casino Chips Winning Hand

    It was a tough start to the week for the Star Entertainment Group Limited (ASX: SGR) share price on Monday.

    Shares in the Aussie wagering group closed yesterday’s trade 0.4% lower at $2.69 per share. That came as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) jumped 0.98% higher to start the week.

    So, is the Star Entertainment share price in the buy zone right now?

    What happened on Monday?

    There were 2 big ASX announcements from the Aussie wagering group in Monday’s trade.

    The first was the Queensland Government’s decision to end negotiations for a second casino license on the Gold Coast. That’s good news for Star Entertainment and its share price going forward.

    The Aussie wagering group owns and operates The Star Sydney and Gold Coast as well as the Treasury Casino and Hotel Brisbane. The government’s decision leaves Star as the sole casino operator on the Gold Coast.

    It also means one less headache for management to consider amongst earnings threats, for now.

    However, it wasn’t all good news on Monday. While investors were bullish in the morning session, the Star Entertainment share price eventually fell 7.3% from mid-morning after the group reported a coronavirus breach at its Sydney venue.

    The wagering group reported a patron who visited The Star Sydney on 4 July. This comes despite the casino’s ‘COVID-Safe Plan’ as part of its restricted re-opening on 1 June.

    It was subsequently reported that Star would be fined $5,000 by Liquor & Gambling NSW for breaching public health protocols.

    What does this mean for the Star Entertainment share price?

    Investors sold out of the wagering share on Monday, but it’s always tough to react to conflicting pieces of news.

    Clearly, a COVID-19 breach is not a good thing for the company’s re-opening plans. That creates a lot of uncertainty including a potential hit to earnings and short-term operations.

    However, it’s also possible that it’s just a short-term impact. Assuming the market is forward-looking, that means investors should have been pricing in the impact of higher potential competition on the Gold Coast.

    Of course, there are plenty of headwinds still facing the Aussie wagering industry. Coronavirus restrictions, particularly on international tourism, is not a good sign for the short- to medium-term.

    However, now could also be the time to buy and hold at a good price. The Star Entertainment share price is down 41.65% in 2020. For context, rival Crown Resorts Ltd (ASX: CWN) shares are down 24.96% this year.

    Foolish takeaway

    Personally, I think buying into Star Entertainment would be a speculative play right now.

    Just like ASX travel shares, wagering shares are under pressure and facing significant headwinds.

    With the Star Entertainment share price trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.9, it’s probably not cheap enough to be in the buy zone just yet, in my view.

    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 Ken Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Crown Resorts 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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  • Altium share price on watch following FY 2020 sales update

    Circuit board

    The Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) share price could be on the move on Tuesday after the release of a sales update for FY 2020.

    How did Altium perform in FY 2020?

    As per its prior updates, Altium fell short of its aspirational revenue target of US$200 million in FY 2020. This was due to the negative impact of the pandemic on its sales performance at the end of the financial year.

    According to the release, for the 12 months ended 30 June 2020, the electronic design software company delivered a 10% increase in revenue to US$189 million. This means Altium has now recorded eight consecutive years of double digit revenue growth.

    Altium’s solid top line growth was driven by robust performances across core business units and key regions during the challenging COVID-19 environment.

    The key Altium Designer platform recorded a 14% increase in new seats sold and a 17% lift in its subscription base to well over 50,000 subscribers.

    At the end of the period Altium had a cash balance of over US$90 million. This compares to US$80.5 million a year earlier.

    Management commentary.

    Altium’s CEO, Aram Mirkazemi, was pleased with the company’s performance in these difficult trading conditions.

    He commented: “Altium’s strategy of providing attractive pricing and extended payment terms to support our customers during COVID-19 and to drive volume to support our pursuit of market dominance has been rewarded. Altium achieved strong growth in new Altium Designer seats and record growth in our subscription base to reach well over 50,000 seats on subscription.”

    And although the chief executive was disappointed that Altium didn’t achieve its aspirational revenue target, he believes a lot of progress has been made towards future goals.

    “While COVID-19 prevented us from reaching our long standing aspirational goal of $200 million in revenue, conditions surrounding COVID-19 have dramatically accelerated our movement towards market dominance and the implementation of our transformative agenda for the industry,” explained Mr Mirkazemi.

    This was thanks largely to its launch of the new cloud platform Altium 365, which allows engineers to work from anywhere and connect with anyone. At the end of the period, there were 2,500 companies using Altium 365 and almost 5,000 active users.

    Outlook.

    No guidance was given for FY 2021. However, the company continues to target 100,000 subscribers and market dominance by 2025.

    Further details will be provided with the release of its full year results in August.

    Mr Mirkazemi commented: “At our full year results, we will share more color on the long-term impact of COVID-19 on the acceleration of our strategy of market dominance and industry transformation. We will also share color about our recurring revenue and pricing model post COVID-19 and based on the impact of Altium 365.”

    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!

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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 Altium. 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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  • Workhorse Gets Jolt For Zero-Emissions Electric Vans

    Workhorse Gets Jolt For Zero-Emissions Electric VansWorkhorse Group Inc (NASDAQ: WKHS) can sell its zero-emission C-Series electric delivery vans in all 50 states after a California ruling buttressed a federal finding in the company's favor.Now, Workhorse just has to build the vans.The Cincinnati-based manufacturer is building a couple of trucks a day at its Union City, Indiana plant. The goal is 300 to 400 vans this year. United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE: UPS) and DHL have placed orders for about 1,100 vans.The California Air Resources Board (CARB) issued an executive order to Workhorse valid for an unspecified year. CARB's website does not show the order yet. Workhorse's previous E-Series electric van received a certification for 2018. Workhorse stopped making the E-Series vans to focus on developing the composite-body C-Series vans with cargo capacities of 400 to 1,200 cubic feet. Initially, it is making 650- and 1,000-cubic-foot vans.Monday's news drove Workhorse shares higher. They are up 600% over the last 90 days. Most public electric truck makers' shares are surging, led by Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA), which was up more than 7% at $1,664 in midday trading.Incentivized Sales Ahead The executive order from CARB eases Workhorse's inclusion in California's Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). The state uses proceeds from Cap and Trade fines to incentivize buyers of near-zero and zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). Since 2009, California has issued 3,165 vouchers worth nearly $366 million for ZEVs. Workhorse received a certificate of conformity from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in March. The CARB order is important because California and 13 other states require more than just EPA compliance for vehicles to be sold in those states."Obtaining this Executive Order from CARB is another milestone achievement for Workhorse and for the electric vehicle industry at large," CEO Duane Hughes said, adding that he expects  HVIP to be " a major growth stimulus as more voucher funds become available in the future."CARB's recent Advanced Clean Truck regulation for the first time requires commercial vehicle manufacturers to meet quotas for selling electric vehicles, beginning at 9% in 2024 and moving to exclusively electric trucks by 2045.Click for more FreightWaves articles by Alan Adler.Related articles:Workhorse looks to scale electric truck productionWhat happens in California doesn't stay in CaliforniaCalifornia regulators to fleets: Buy those electric trucksSee more from Benzinga * Electric Truck Maker Rivian Secures .5B In New Financing * Electric Truck Story Stocks Drive Market Enthusiasm * U.S. Airlines Cancel Hong Kong Flights Over Crew Testing(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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  • Nanosonics and 1 more ASX healthcare share to buy and hold beyond 2025

    healthcare shares

    Of all the industry sectors represented on the ASX, the ASX healthcare sector is definitely one of my favourites. Our ageing population is driving an ever-increasing demand for healthcare services. Also, continual technology advances in this market segment is driving demand higher.

    In this article we examine 2 of my top ASX healthcare shares right now: ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD) and Nanosonics Ltd. (ASX: NAN). I am attracted to both of them because of their high level of technological innovation, entrenched market positions, and growing international exposure.

    I believe both have strong long-term growth potential, which is likely to translate to above average shareholder returns over the next 5 years.

    Nanosonics

    ASX healthcare company Nanosonics manufactures and distributes disinfection system for ultrasound probes. Nanosonic’s core product, the trophon EPR disinfection system, has achieved an industry reputation as the leader in its market niche.

    Nanosonics has seen strong revenue growth over the past 5 years. In particular, the company has continued to see solid revenue growth in its largest market, the US. It also has been experiencing strong growth across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Nanosonics achieved total revenue of $48.5 million for the first half of FY20. This was an increase of 19% on the prior corresponding period (pcp).

    In its most recent market update, the company revealed that sales momentum has continued during the early phase of the coronavirus pandemic. Unaudited sales for the third quarter of FY20 were significantly higher than the prior corresponding period. However, lower than anticipated overall growth of its installed base is predicted for Q4, due to difficulty accessing some hospitals.

    Despite any short-term challenges, I believe that Nanosonics is well placed to grow strongly over the next 5 years, on the back of the growing global trend towards stricter disinfection control in hospitals.

    ResMed

    Another ASX healthcare share that I would consider adding to your share portfolio is ResMed. The company designs and manufactures healthcare devices and cloud-based software solutions for sleep apnea and other respiratory conditions.

    Revenue growth over the past few years has been assisted by new product launches and successful targeted acquisitions. ResMed’s global scale and entrenched market position provide it with a strong competitive advantage. ResMed recorded a super strong 47% increase in net income during the third quarter of FY20.

    I believe that the demand for ResMed’s products will continue over the next decade. Research from ResMed estimates that around 1 billion people globally are impacted by sleep apnoea worldwide. In addition, more than 80% of cases are estimated to be undiagnosed globally.

    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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    Phil Harpur owns shares of Nanosonics Limited and ResMed Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Nanosonics Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nanosonics Limited and ResMed Inc. 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 the Pushpay share price could tumble lower today

    man holding mobile phone that says make donation

    The Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH) share price will be on watch today after it revealed that a major shareholder will be selling down its stake.

    What did Pushpay announce?

    This morning Pushpay announced that shareholders associated with the Huljich family have entered into a block trade agreement with J.P. Morgan and UBS New Zealand to sell 25% of their shares in the donor management system provider.

    According to a separate notice, the sellers agreed a price of at least NZ$8.60 per share for the 14,406,494 shares, which represents a total sale price of ~NZ$123.9 million.

    This represents a 7% discount to the last close price of Pushpay’s New Zealand listed shares.

    Despite the sizeable sale of shares, the Huljich family is expected to remain the largest shareholder of Pushpay with a combined relevant interest in 43.2 million shares.

    Pushpay also revealed that the Huljich family remains strongly committed to Pushpay. Peter Huljich will remain on the Pushpay board, with Christopher Huljich continuing to act as his Alternate Director.

    Peter Huljich commented: “The outlook for Pushpay remains positive. We look forward to continuing to support the Company as it seeks to deliver upon its strategy of becoming the preferred provider of mission-critical software to the US faith sector.”

    “The Huljich family confirms that it does not have any current intention to sell further shares in Pushpay and has provided an undertaking to the Underwriters not to sell further shares in Pushpay until after Pushpay’s FY21 Interim Results are announced on the NZX and ASX,” he concluded.

    What now?

    News like this doesn’t often go down well with the market and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pushpay share price drop lower today. In fact, in early trade in New Zealand the company’s shares are down over 6%.

    However, I feel this could be an overreaction. Given how the Huljich family still has a substantial stake in the company, their interests are still firmly aligned with shareholders.

    And given Pushpay’s extremely bright long term outlook, any notable share price weakness could arguably be a buying opportunity for investors.

    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

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

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  • 2 high growth ASX 200 shares to buy with $10,000 amid the coronavirus pandemic

    lots of piggy banks, asx growth stocks

    The terms growth and pandemic may not go hand in hand, however many sectors have flourished amid COVID-19.

    Here are 2 high growth ASX 200 shares that could present themselves as excellent investment opportunities in the current climate. 

    Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) 

    Spending on gambling has been on the rise amid the COVID-19 crisis. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that NAB’s internal bank data on consumer spending showed expenditure on gambling had increased by 50.7% since the start of the year. This could spell good news for ASX 200 gambling shares such as Tabcorp Holdings Limited (ASX: TAH), Jumbo Interactive Ltd (ASX: JIN) and Pointsbet. 

    I believe that Pointsbet is in a strong position to grow its business both domestically and in the US. The return of the AFL and NRL seasons will see the breadth of Pointsbet product offering expand in Australia. Its exclusive deal with Fox Sports AFL during the 2020 season is also a boon for Pointsbet’s Australian trading business.

    The US sports betting market is still in its infancy, with many states still pending sports betting legalisation. The return of the PGA (golf) season and anticipated recommencement of both NBA and MLB seasons should see an increased turnover for Pointsbet in the coming months.

    The company has also recently signed a deal with BetMakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET) to begin fixed odds betting on horseracing in the New Jersey market. New Jersey has been one of the pioneers for fixed odds sports betting in the US, with its latest sports betting annual turnover reported at more than $4.5 billion. 

    Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) 

    Zip’s acquisition of Quadpay could be transformative for the company’s growth moving forward. This acquisition will immediately add Quadpay’s existing 1.5 million customers, 3,500 merchants and an annualised $900 million transaction value to Zip’s metrics. More importantly, this acquisition allows the company to enter the US market.  

    Quadpay itself is a simple product that allows customers to pay in 4 instalments spread over 6 weeks, interest free. What takes the Quadpay product to the next level is its “Anywhere” app, enabling customers to pay in instalments in-store or online at any merchant. This makes the product highly scalable and minimises integration costs.

    From a valuation perspective, I believe Zip, post-Quadpay acquisition, represents much better value than other ASX 200 buy now, pay later shares such as Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT). However, given its recent share price spike, I wouldn’t be in a hurry to buy Zip shares but rather will watch closely for a buying opportunity. 

    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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    Lina Lim has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Pointsbet Holdings Ltd and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pointsbet Holdings 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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  • Is the gold price too high for investing in ASX gold shares?

    figurine of a bull standing on gold bars

    At the time of writing the gold price is sitting slightly above the US$1,800 barrier for the first time since 2011.

    Gold is a hedge against chaos. That is because when things go really bad for an extended duration, then the gold price rises while equities fall. So too, gold mining shares.

    For example, since the start of the year the Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price has risen by 63.47%. Consequently, it is currently trading at a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 38.16. This is astronomical for a mining company.

    To illustrate the point, Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) is performing well as a company, yet is trading at a P/E of 6.61. BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), the world’s largest mining company, has a P/E of 13.87.

    So, is the gold price too high to invest in? 

    Investing in gold

    If you are going to invest in ASX gold shares, then its important to understand a few basic concepts.

    First, only about 48% of gold is used in jewellery. Approximately 44% is bought by investors, including central banks, and the rest finds its way into technological equipment.

    Second, about 80% of all the gold we know about is above the ground. So in a gold rush, we have more and more people chasing smaller and smaller reserves of gold. Moreover, gold is not only rare on earth, it is one of the rarest metals in the universe – gold and other precious metals are formed at the moment a star goes supernova. 

    Third, and importantly for investors, ASX gold mining shares do not pay significant dividends. 

    In summary, the gold price is driven by investor demand, so it can fall as quickly as it rises, and the benefit for investors in a gold mining company is share price growth, because there aren’t many dividends to speak of. 

    Where are the bargains?

    Personally, I don’t think there are many bargains to be found in the established gold miners right now. As stated, Evolution Mining has a P/E of 38.16. Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) has a P/E of 48.37. Even Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) has a P/E of 31.97.

    Will these share prices rise further? Probably. Particularly during earnings season when Northern Star and Saracen Mineral Holdings Limited (ASX: SAR) announce what they have been able to achieve with the recently acquired Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mine, or Superpit. 

    But who knows for how long, or how high? Or, for that matter, how far they will fall when the gold price suddenly snaps back (if it ever snaps back).

    Enter the explorers

    My preference for commodities investing, just like any other form of investing, is to buy a company I can keep for a long time. That means buying a gold explorer at a point where it has a solid reserve and is ready to start moving to the producing phase. 

    Personally, I have purchased Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) shares. With its Bellevue gold project in Western Australia, the company is sitting on possibly the highest grade gold deposit in the world today. Not only that, but it is in an area that has been previously mined. As such, the costs for infrastructure are going to be low, and the gold depth is less than many other deposits in Australia.

    The company recently raised $100 million via institutional placement, and is raising another $20 million via a share placement with retail shareholders (you and I). This is for project acceleration, so, more exploration, mine development and non-process infrastructure.

    Foolish takeaway

    At this stage in the gold price cycle, the established gold miners are very expensive, but in my view the gold explorers remain a good investing option. I have shown why I bought Bellevue, but there are a range of others also. For example, the Yamarna Terrane of the eastern Yilgarn by Gold Road Resources (ASX: GOR) and the Red 5 Limited (ASX: RED) King of the Hills gold deposit, as well as a raft of micro caps.

    3 “Double Down” Stocks To Ride The Bull Market

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

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

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of June 5th 2020

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    Motley Fool contributor Daryl Mather owns shares of Bellevue Gold Ltd and Fortescue Metals Group Limited. 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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  • 3 top ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy

    Growing stack of coins on top of wooden blocks spelling out '2020', future wealth, asx future

    S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) blue chip shares are good options to help deliver long-term returns and stability for your portfolio in my opinion.

    Blue chips are seen as safer shares and are usually the leaders in their industry. Some people may think that blue chips have low growth potential. I think that’s true about some blue chips like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) that are already huge players, but there are other blue chips that I think are good long-term buy ideas:

    A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

    A2 Milk is one of the leading infant formula businesses. The company continues to grow its market share in the key China market. In the FY20 half-year result A2 Milk said that it grew its China infant formula market share from 5.4% in December 2018 to 6.6% in December 2019.

    The company has remained resilient in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic with people stocking up on A2 Milk’s products. The business is high quality and the products are also seen as high quality. I think quality will win out during this pandemic. 

    The ASX 200 share saw such strong trading that its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin is now expected to be in the range of 31% to 32%, rather than the goal of 30%. I think that shows that as the business grows its margins can improve further.

    It’s steadily growing its market presence in the US and China, which should allow for bigger profits over the years. Plus, there are plenty of other countries like Canada to generate earnings from in the future.

    At the current A2 Milk share price, it’s trading at 30x FY22’s estimated earnings.

    Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

    I think Wesfarmers could be one of the best examples of an ASX 200 blue chip share available to Aussies.

    It was set up in 1914, so it clearly has excellent longevity. The business is now largely a retail conglomerate with subsidiaries that are leaders in their respective fields. Bunnings, Officeworks and Kmart have proven to be very good businesses. The acquisition of online retailer Catch seems like a really smart move in hindsight.

    I like that Wesfarmers is willing to acquire businesses in new industries to improve its earnings profile and add more diversification to the business. The Kidman Resources deal was a good example of this – lithium clearly has a compelling future, but it was quite brave to move into a new industry.

    The ASX 200 share is also willing to divest businesses if it no longer makes sense to own them such as the decision to sell the Curragh coal mine.

    At the current Wesfarmers share price, it’s trading at 25x FY22’s estimated earnings with a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.75%.

    Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL)

    Soul Patts is one of the oldest businesses on the ASX. It has been listed since 1903. If that isn’t good staying power I don’t know what is.

    The ASX 200 share started off as a pharmacy business – which is where the name of the chain of Soul Pattinson chemists comes from – but it has since turned into a multi-billion investment conglomerate. Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ASX: API) is now the operator of the Soul Pattinson chemists. And Soul Patts is a major shareholder of API.

    Soul Patts also owns shares of other businesses like TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG), Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW), Clover Corporation Limited (ASX: CLV) and Bki Investment Co Ltd (ASX: BKI).

    The great thing about Soul Patts is that, like Wesfarmers, it can change its investments over time to future-proof itself. This ability to change its portfolio makes Soul Patts a ‘forever’ share in my opinion, rather than just a long-term idea.

    It’s currently working on investing in a new industry – regional data centres. This could prove to be a timely investment with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic causing a shift to working from home for plenty of workers.

    At the current share price, Soul Patts offers a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.3%.

    Foolish takeaway

    I really like all three of these ASX 200 blue chip shares. A2 Milk may be able to generate the biggest returns over the next five years as its global expansion continues. But I think I like the idea of owning Soul Patts shares the most due to its defensive portfolio and ultra-long-term investment outlook.

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    Tristan Harrison owns shares of Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Clover Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Brickworks and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of A2 Milk and Wesfarmers 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 top ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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