• Hertz Proposes $1 Billion Stock Sale to Capitalize on Odd Rally

    Hertz Proposes $1 Billion Stock Sale to Capitalize on Odd Rally(Bloomberg) — Hertz Global Holdings Inc. is asking a bankruptcy judge to let it take advantage of the quixotic surge in its stock by selling up to $1 billion of new shares.Stocks of bankrupt companies typically get wiped out, but after an enormous two-week rally, the car rental giant envisions offering as many as 246.78 million common shares with help from Jefferies LLC, according to a court filing. Judge Mary Walrath set a hearing for Friday to consider the idea.Investors are bidding up Hertz and other bankrupt companies on optimism that the economy and specifically air travel is poised to rebound. Hertz might also benefit from prices of used cars at auctions coming all the way back from a mid-April collapse.Hertz based its request to the court on a nearly tenfold increase in its stock from 56 cents on May 26 to $5.53 on Monday, according to the filing. While the stock has slid to less than half that level, Hertz said a sale of its unissued shares still could help cover its debts.“The recent market prices of and the trading volumes in Hertz’s common stock potentially present a unique opportunity for the debtors to raise capital on terms that are far superior to any debtor-in-possession financing,” the company said, referring to a traditional bankruptcy loan.A share offering would avoid new interest, fees and restrictions on Hertz’s finances and wouldn’t impose any claims from a bankruptcy loan that would outrank existing creditors, the company said.Hertz said it would warn any potential buyers “the common stock could ultimately be worthless.”Lawyers asked for an emergency ruling “given the volatile state of trading in Hertz’s stock.” Indeed, the shares had fallen to $2.06 by the end of Thursday’s session, cutting Hertz’s potential windfall closer to half a billion dollars.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

    from Yahoo Finance https://ift.tt/2YoFj52

  • Boeing Tells 737 MAX Fuselage Maker To Pause Production

    Boeing Tells 737 MAX Fuselage Maker To Pause ProductionBoeing Co. (NYSE: BA) told its supplier of aircraft fuselages to pause production on four 737 MAX units and avoid starting work on another 16 units scheduled for delivery this year.The aircraft manufacturer said it's decision is tied to the coronavirus' devastating impact on the airline industry's finances and the need to avoid unnecessary production costs when airlines are canceling or postponing orders for new airplanes they no longer can afford. Airlines grounded most of their fleets in response to government travel bans and have been cutting all non-essential expenses to reduce red ink.The drawdown in 737 MAX fuselage orders from Boeing is another blow to Wichita, Kansas-based Spirit AeroSystems holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPR), which has already experienced a significant reduction in output since the grounding of the 737 MAX aircraft fleet in March 2019 due to airworthiness concerns after two high-profile crashes that killed 346 people.Boeing resumed limited production in May after shutting down MAX plants in January. At the start of the year, Boeing and Spirit reached an agreement to ramp up production of 737 MAX fuselages to 216 in 2020, before reducing planned output to 125 shipsets – a big difference from its former production of 52 fuselages a month before the grounding."Spirit does not yet have definitive information on what the magnitude of the reduction will be but expects it will be more than 20 shipsets," the company said in a statement on Wednesday, June 10.Spirit said it is still in discussions with Boeing to determine its 737 MAX fuselage production for the remainder of the year.Spirit said it will place employees who work on the aircraft on a 21-day, unpaid furlough, effective June 15. It also said, effective this Thursday, the hourly workforce at its Tulsa and McAlester facilities will be reduced.Leeham News & Analysis reported that Boeing is currently producing about one 737 MAX airplane per month. The company has a backlog of 3,800 MAX orders, which reflects more than 500 suspended orders.At the start of the year, Spirit eliminated more than 4,500 jobs and reduced its executive pay by 20%.While the 737 MAX is designed for passenger travel, it does offer belly capacity for small or loose shipments, which is appreciated by freight forwarders and shippers.Southwest Airlines had placed the most orders for the 737, but is negotiating with Boeing on a revised order and delivery schedule. Boeing has produced 27 MAX aircraft for Southwest since safety authorities issued the no-fly order, but was not allowed to deliver them. The grounding hurt the airline's growth plans last year, but with travel demand falling through the floor due to the pandemic, Southwest doesn't need the airplanes anytime soon.Boeing expects to complete MAX recertification flights by the end of June to demonstrate to the Federal Aviation Administration that the plane can operate safely with changes to the flight-control system, according to CNBC.Spirit said it also remains concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the production of other Boeing and Airbus [OTCMKTS: EADSY] aircraft, including its fuselages for the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 planes.The company currently expects a second quarter revenue loss of about $70 million to $90 million on the 787 and $15 million to $20 million on the A350.(Eric Kulisch contributed to this article.)(Click to read more American Shipper/FreightWaves articles by Chris Gillis.)Photo Credit: Spirit AeroSystemsSee more from Benzinga * Today's Pickup: Samsara introduces Driver Efficiency Scores To Help Improve Driving Habits * E-commerce Drives Multi-Pronged Expansion At UPS Airlines * Vision Of Higher Net Sales For Airlines Could Be A Mirage(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

    from Yahoo Finance https://ift.tt/2AXbaBZ

  • Why Jumbo, Santos, Westpac, & Zip Co shares are crashing lower

    Share price plummet

    It has been another disappointing day for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). Concerns over a potential second wave of COVID-19 in the United States has led to the index crashing 2.4% lower to 5,818 points.

    Four shares that have fallen more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are sinking lower:

    The Jumbo Interactive Ltd (ASX: JIN) share price is down over 7% to $10.60. As well as being caught up in the market selloff, this morning S&P revealed that the lottery ticket seller would be dumped out of the ASX 200 at the next quarterly rebalance. Jumbo will cease being part of the benchmark index from the market open on 22 June 2020.

    The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is down 4% to $5.37. Investors have been selling Santos and other energy shares on Friday after a collapse on oil prices overnight. Concerns over a potential second wave of coronavirus in the United States has spooked traders. If people are forced into lockdown again, demand for oil could take a major hit.

    The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price has fallen almost 5% to $17.65. Investors have been selling the banks again on Friday after Wall Street’s heavy decline. In addition to this, the banking giant revealed that AUSTRAC is further investigating matters that were brought to its attention by the bank recently. The financial intelligence agency has warned that it may amend its statement of claim to include allegations arising from these investigations.

    The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price has dropped 6% to $6.12 despite releasing another positive trading update. The payments company’s update revealed that its strong growth continued in May. During the month, Zip recorded monthly transaction volume of $189.3 million and revenue of $15.6 million. This was a 63% and 78% increase, respectively, over the same period last year.

    Need a lift after these declines? Then you won’t want to miss the recommendations below…

    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

    More reading

    James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Jumbo Interactive Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Jumbo Interactive 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 Why Jumbo, Santos, Westpac, & Zip Co shares are crashing lower appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

    from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3fmwq2Z

  • 3 top ASX dividend shares to add to your portfolio in June

    street sign saying yield, asx dividend shares

    Investors have witnessed many S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and All Ordinaries (ASX: XAO) shares withdraw guidances and defer dividend payments across March and April.

    With uncertain times ahead, here are 3 top ASX dividend shares to watch. 

    1. Money3 Corporation Limited (ASX: MNY) 

    Money3 may not be a household ASX dividend share, but it represents a solid small-cap business with strong cash flow. It has also faced minimal disruption as a result of COVID-19.

    The company provides automotive finance for the purchase and maintenance of vehicles. It estimates that approximately 1 in every 500 vehicles in Australia and 1 in every 800 vehicles in New Zealand have a current Money3 loan. Despite potential COVID-19 concerns, the business has reported a “minimal” impact on cash collections. It is expecting demand to return for automotive finance as lockdown restrictions ease. 

    The company reported solid YTD March 2020 financial results, with earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) growing 43.6%. Net profit after tax (NPAT) also soared 49.2% on the prior corresponding period. As at 27 April, the company had a cash balance of $43 million and currently pays a dividend yield of 6.25%. 

    2. Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) 

    Despite the ASX 200 falling more than 3% on Thursday, the Fortescue share price held up held firm, falling a mere 0.73%. This follows news that the world’s largest iron ore miner, Vale SA was ordered to halt mining at its Itabira complex after 188 workers tested positive to coronavirus.

    At the same time, demand in China is firm with low port stockpiles. Australian majors BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) and Fortescue will be poised to benefit. In my opinion, Fortescue could be the better pick, given its pure exposure to iron ore. It currently pays a dividend yield of 7.02%. 

    3. Tassal Group Limited (ASX: TGR) 

    There are many consumer tailwinds for Tassal’s salmon and prawns business. In Tassal’s recent presentation to the Goldman Sachs Emerging Leaders conference, it highlighted the following trends: 

    • Rise in consumer demand for sustainable products that have traceability 
    • Rise in at-home meals over eating out 
    • Greater demand for easy to prepare meals solutions 
    • Online media consumption to play a larger role in purchasing decisions.

    From a supply perspective, Tassal highlighted that its strategic focus is to continually optimise biomass growth, size and sales mix to drive salmon EBITDA $/kg. I believe Tassal’s experience in sustainable farming practices in breeding, biosecurity, feed diet formulation, growth times and survival all attribute to bigger salmon that will generate better margins.

    In my opinion, Tassal should be a very consistent ASX dividend share into the future, and currently pays a dividend yield of 4.68%. 

    For investors that aren’t interested in accumulating dividends and want to capitalise on current market volatility, check out our free report for double-down opportunities that could be set to soar.

    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

    More reading

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

    The post 3 top ASX dividend shares to add to your portfolio in June appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

    from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/30yni79

  • Why Mach7, Meridian, Spark, & TPG Telecom are pushing higher

    asx 200, share price increase

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to end the week deep in the red after a major selloff on Wall Street overnight. In late morning trade the benchmark index is down 3.1% to 5,774.1 points.

    There are not many shares that have managed to push higher today. But four shares that have are listed below. Here’s why they are on the rise:

    The Mach7 Technologies Ltd (ASX: M7T) share price has returned from a trading halt and jumped 7.5% to 85 cents. Investors have been buying the enterprise image management systems provider’s shares after it announced the acquisition of Client Outlook for ~A$40.8 million. Client Outlook is a leading provider of an enterprise image viewing technology called eUnity. It increases Mach7’s addressable market opportunity from US$0.75 billion to US$2.75 billion.

    The Meridian Energy Ltd (ASX: MEZ) share price is up 1.5% to $4.57. Investors have been buying the renewable energy company’s shares due to its status as a safe haven asset. The New Zealand-based energy company has operations on both sides of the Tasman sea.

    The Spark Infrastructure Group (ASX: SKI) share price has risen 3% to $2.16. As with Meridian, Spark is seen as a safe haven asset and investors will often flock to it when markets become volatile. Incidentally, one broker that is positive on Spark is Macquarie. Last week it put an outperform rating and $2.33 price target on the company’s shares. This could mean there’s still further for its shares to run from here.

    The TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPM) share price is up over 0.5% to $8.10. Investors have been buying the telecommunications company’s shares after it revealed the special dividend it plans to pay if its Vodafone Australia merger completes as planned. TPG Telecom plans to pay a fully franked special dividend in the range of 49 cents per share to 52 cents per share. This equates to a generous 6% to 6.4% dividend yield based on its current share price.

    Missed out on these gains? Then don’t miss out on these highly rated shares…

    5 ASX stocks under $5

    One trick to potentially generating life-changing wealth from the stock market is to buy early-stage growth companies when their share prices still look dirt cheap.

    Motley Fool’s resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has identified 5 stocks he thinks 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 MACH7 FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    The post Why Mach7, Meridian, Spark, & TPG Telecom are pushing higher appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

    from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2XTnj3P

  • ASX 200: improved consumer sentiment to near pre COVID-19 levels

    People shopping in shopping centre

    A Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) economic release reported improved consumer sentiment up 16.4% in May. We examine the release and its implications for the  S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).  

    The 10 June economic release, penned by Westpac’s Chief Economist Bill Evans, reported improved consumer confidence to be back “around pre-COVID levels”, having “recovered all of the extreme 20% drop seen when the pandemic exploded in March-April.” 

    The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment recorded the 16.4% gain in May. A rise to 88.1 from the “extremely weak” 75.6 in April.

    Evans reported that the Index is now only 2% below the average established in the September-February period. 

    However, the release did warn that given the difficult recovery ahead, “it would be surprising if the recent upward momentum continues.” 

    Further, the release pointed out that while the monthly gain was impressive, the index is still “relatively weak by historical standards — in pessimistic territory overall and down 7% on a year ago.” 

    COVID recession and 1990s recession: better times ahead

    While the release found that the data still suggests families are financially constricted and concerned about the near-term economic outlook, there is “firming optimism around prospects for finances in the year ahead.” 

    Further, the release found that respondents are “confident that they can see eventual better times ahead whereas in the early 1990s there was a pervasive mood of despair for years.” 

    ASX 200 and improved consumer sentiment 

    Importantly for ASX 200 stocks reliant on discretionary spending, the Westpac release indicated that the largest gains were around views on the economic outlook and “time to buy a major item”. 

    The ‘time to buy a major item’ sub-index posted a  strong 10.1% gain in June, on the back of a 26.7% May increase. 

    That said, the buyer sentiment is still well below the long-run average. 

    Consumer expectations for house prices

    Evans reported that consumer expectations for house prices improved. The Westpac-Melbourne Institute House Price Expectations Index rose 10.5%. 

    However, the index is still 43% below the cheery readings just before the COVID-19 lockdown. Further, Evans reported that survey results continue to “point to a sharp deterioration… compared to a few months ago.”

    Finally, the proportion favouring real estate as the answer to ‘wisest place for savings’ dropped to 4% in March. Evans stated that this suggests “investors look likely to stay away from Australia’s housing market near term.” 

    ASX 200 analysis

    Evans concluded the release by noting that “unusually, more respondents nominated shares (11.4%) than real estate as preferred investment options.”

    Can the currently reported investment preference for shares over real estate, coupled with improved consumer sentiment lift the ASX 200? Will the improved sentiment percolate across the economy? 

    The sentiment can certainly impact the discretionary spending sector, at least in the near-term. 

    For instance, the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ) is up 7% from this time last month. It’s also up 4% from this time 3 months ago. 

    Additionally, Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) — a stock that certainly benefits from improved consumer sentiment — is up 12.4% from this time last month. JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH) is also enjoying gains — up 11.3% from last month. 

    If you’re also someone looking to get into shares over real estate right now, perhaps consider those listed in the free report below.

    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

    Motley Fool contributor Kiryll Prakapenka has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of 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 ASX 200: improved consumer sentiment to near pre COVID-19 levels appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

    from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/30G1Gpc

  • Zip Co share price tumbles lower despite delivering more stellar growth in May

    Payment Technology

    The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price has rebounded off its lows but is still trading notably lower on Friday.

    At the time of writing the payments company’s shares are down over 7.5% to $6.03. This is despite the release of another positive announcement this morning.

    What did Zip announce?

    This morning Zip released an update which revealed that its strong performance continued during the month of May.

    In May, Zip recorded monthly transaction volume of $189.3 million and revenue of $15.6 million. This was a 63% and 78% increase, respectively, over the same period last year.

    And while this growth is a touch slower than in April, when transaction volume lifted 86% and revenue rose 81% growth, it is still a very impressive rate of growth in such a challenging economic environment.

    Zip added 65,000 new customers during the month, lifting its total to 2.1 million. This represents a total increase of 63% since this time last year.

    Also growing strongly was its merchant numbers. They are up 46% year on year to 23,600.

    Net bad debts low but rising.

    At the end of May, Zip’s net bad debts stood at 2.16%. This compares to 1.99% at the end of April.

    Management notes that this is in-line with expectations and significantly outperforming the market average.

    Positively, monthly arrears, which is a forward indicator of future losses, reduced from 1.57% in April to 1.47% in May. In addition to this, there was no material change to the number of hardship assistance requests.

    Zip’s Managing Director and CEO, Larry Diamond, commented: “May was another strong month for Zip – the performance of the business, both in terms of the continued strong transaction volume, and in particular the outstanding repayment performance, demonstrates the resilience of the Zip business model.”

    The chief executive notes that the company is benefiting from the shift away from cash to digital, contactless payments, and ecommerce. Pleasingly, he expects this trend to continue in the future even after the pandemic ends.

    Mr Diamond explained: “We also anticipate ecommerce penetration to remain at elevated levels post COVID-19 as consumers gain familiarity shopping online, and retailers invest significantly in this space.”

    The chief executive also revealed that Zip is on course to achieve its guidance in FY 2020. “We remain on track to hit our FY20 target of $2.2b in annualised transaction volume set at the beginning of the year,” he concluded.

    Missed out on Zip’s incredible gains this year? Then don’t miss out on the shares listed below…

    5 ASX stocks under $5

    One trick to potentially generating life-changing wealth from the stock market is to buy early-stage growth companies when their share prices still look dirt cheap.

    Motley Fool’s resident tech stock expert Dr. Anirban Mahanti has identified 5 stocks he thinks 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 ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    The post Zip Co share price tumbles lower despite delivering more stellar growth in May appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

    from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/37p6cK4

  • Is the Qantas share price a buy today?

    plane flying across share markey graph, asx 200 travel shares, qantas share price

    The Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price has shot up over 100% from its trough on 23 March. The company has gradually started to recommence regional flights. Meanwhile, both national and international borders remain closed. You have to wonder if investors are taking a very large gamble, or if Qantas really is a good investment right now. 

    Not the same old Qantas

    It appears likely that Qantas will be a transformed company following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Reduced demand is likely to force down costs for employees and marketing, in particular. This will presumably drive the company to mould itself into a leaner outfit that is better equipped to face its new ‘normal’. Analyst Anthony Mulder from the investment bank Jeffries has forecast staff costs at Qantas to reduce to $2 billion in the 2021 financial year, down from $4.2 billion in 2019.

    Qantas will, however, take a short term hit on fuel. The hedging they would have had in place to control costs will see them paying higher prices following the oil price’s sudden crash. Nonetheless, over the medium term, the company will see fuel costs fall. There is also talk of Qantas winding up or selling off its minority stake in Vietnamese offshoot Jetstar Pacific

    What happens next?

    It is hard to miss the growing crescendo calling for borders to reopen. The moment open borders are announced, I believe the Qantas share price will start to climb again. In addition, the company is well placed to return to a level of profitability.

    It has been well supported by the government subsidising essential flights and its balance sheet remains very strong. Furthermore, Qantas retains a 19.9% stake in Alliance Aviation Services Ltd (ASX: AQZ). This provided the Aussie airliner with at least one air flight revenue stream throughout the lockdown period. Qantas’ stake in Alliance, however, is currently under review by the ACCC.

    Is there value in today’s Qantas share price?

    Notwithstanding all the factors above, I believe Qantas has the financial track record of a well managed company. Moreover, it has a strong balance sheet and high liquidity (cash) levels. As an indication of good management, Qantas has a 10-year average return on equity of 17.5%. This is also known as its return on net assets. I believe that for a capital intensive company, this is a good result.

    Lastly, in his upgrade of Qantas, analyst Anthony Mulder gave it a target price of $6.20. Merrill Lynch Bank of America analyst Melinda Baxter also upgraded her recommendation, valuing the Qantas share price at $5.25. It is currently trading at $4.29, at the time of writing.

    Foolish takeaway

    During the pandemic, Qantas has demonstrated why it is one of Australia’s most widely held shares. It is reshaping itself for the future and has worked hard to be battle ready. With two prominent analysts recommending a higher target price, I believe the Qantas share price will start to climb once there is a hint that borders will reopen. 

    For some more ASX shares we Fools think are worth buying today, take a look at the report below!

    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

    More reading

    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.

    The post Is the Qantas share price a buy today? appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

    from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/37lmDqW

  • 3 ASX 200 shares to buy and hold for decades

    crystal ball with bar graph inside, future share price, afterpay share price

    ASX 200 shares continue to bounce back strongly in June. However, we’ve seen a minor wobble this week as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has fallen lower for 2 consecutive days, and is down almost 3% this morning.

    Despite this, things are still looking relatively good in global share markets. Strong money supply and general optimism about 2021 are pushing share prices higher.

    It’s easy to get distracted by short-term market movements. It’s important to keep an eye on the prize – building a long-term investment portfolio.

    Here are a few ASX 200 shares that I think are worth buying and holding for decades into the future.

    3 ASX 200 shares to buy for the long-term

    When investing for the future, I like to think of some key themes that will be important. After all, future trends will drive the economy and that will be led by top ASX companies.

    I think Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is one share to buy for the future. CBA is Australia’s largest bank and has historically been a dividend staple of many Aussie portfolios.

    There’s a lot of talk around disruption and the rise of the neobanks. While neobanks may continue to capture market share, I think the big four will be hard to dislodge.

    CBA isn’t the only ASX 200 share that is looking tough to dislodge in its industry. I like the look of NextDC Limited (ASX: NXT) as a leader in the data storage and security industry.

    NextDC looks to be laying the platform for future growth right now. The Aussie data storage group recently raised $672 million from investors to develop more data centres around Australia.

    Another ASX growth share that I think is set for more growth is Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV). Polynovo’s proprietary NovoSorb BTM product continues to go from strength to strength. In fact, the Polynovo share price has rocketed 3,050% in the last 5 years and more than doubled in the last 12 months.

    Foolish takeaway

    These are just a couple of the ASX 200 shares I think will be strong companies in the decades ahead and are well worth considering today as long-term buys.

    If growth shares are on your mind right now, check out these top Foolish picks today!

    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

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

    The post 3 ASX 200 shares to buy and hold for decades appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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

  • Is ‘sell’ really a dirty word? How to know when to let go of your ASX shares

    Share investor with chess pieces deciding to buy or sell ASX shares

    With ASX shares now getting a grip on their earnings following the recent crash that left most of them oversold, it’s time to take stock of what the current ‘recalibration’ means for the overall market. The end of the financial year is looming large, and with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) up around 35% since falling to 4,546 points on 23 March, there’s no better time to review the ASX shares in your portfolio.

    Cutting your losses on non-performing shares is never easy. What makes it doubly hard is broker aversion to the S-word, with their recommendations typically gyrating between ‘buy’, ‘hold’, and ‘accumulate’.

    But sometimes it simply pays to bite the bullet and take a loss. This, incidentally, can have some favourable tax considerations: notably the ability to offset losses against future gains. On the flipside, an attempt to avoid paying tax on a capital gain is insufficient reason not to sell a stock when you should.

    Take gains off the table while you can

    But it’s not only the rotten apples that you should consider selling down. Sometimes it’s equally important to know when to lock in some profit. That doesn’t necessarily mean existing a quality stock completely.

    For example, many shares have seen major gains recently. One strategy for shareholders could have been to reduce their stake, and potentially buy back in following a share market correction, or via corporate activity. Due to a slew of recent capital raisings, some shareholders have been able to offload shares only to top up their holding at attractive discounts to the current price.

    Admittedly, there’s nothing wrong with letting your profits run, especially if future upside is yet to be factored into the price. However, savvy investors know when to take profits before prices potentially fall.

    The art of selling shares is also considerably less predictable than buying, so it pays to have a solid strategy.

    Do your reasons for selling stack up?

    Shares that have enjoyed a strong run up may start to look decidedly overheated. This often triggers smart investors to sell out at a price they perceive to be close to the top. While calling the top (or bottom) is something even most professional investors struggle with, one tell-tale sign that the price is looking decidedly ‘toppy’ is how far it rallies above any reasonable estimate of value.

    One of the investment truisms coined by Warren Buffett is that the share price cannot continue to outperform the underlying business forever. At some point, something has to give. Unless there are future upsides to current valuations, the closer a company’s share price gets to its intrinsic value, the greater the potential risk of holding onto the stock.

    So when the share price runs way ahead of value and for no justifiable reason, don’t get too greedy and don’t simply rely on raw exuberance or momentum. Equally important, remember that it’s over the short-term that the gap between the share price and the underlying performance of the business will be at its widest.

    If you’re unsure of where a share price is heading, ask yourself this: If a stock trades at $10 today, while the intrinsic value is $20, do you expect the price to rise to $25 next year, and maybe $35 three years later? Can you afford to wait? If the answer’s yes – consider holding. If not – consider selling.

    While it’s not rocket science, the conclusion you come to should be based on research into future valuations, rather than an educated hunch.

    Take the money and run

    You may also think about selling-down stocks that are starting to slip into what’s known as value-trap territory. Typical candidates include former share market darlings. While their best days might be behind them, these ASX shares can still attract investors due to their sheer size, dividend history or an instantly recognisable household brand.

    Remember, shares that appear to be under-priced have typically become that way for good reason. For example, bad management, declining business performance, declining competitive edge (due to regulatory or technological change), excessive debt, an over-priced acquisition, or an unaffordable dividend payout ratio.

    These factors will result in declining intrinsic valuations and future growth that’s less promising. This will eventually find its way to the share price. Unless you sell these stocks, they will continue to drag down the value of your overall portfolio.

    The trick is to take these suppurating time-bombs – which, I’m sorry to tell you, are destined to be liquidated, enter receivership or administration – out of your portfolio before they do greater damage. Before they do, why not deploy what value is left in these lame shares into the market’s next best opportunities.

    If you’re looking for somewhere to start, don’t miss the 5 dirt cheap ASX shares below!

    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

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

    The post Is ‘sell’ really a dirty word? How to know when to let go of your ASX shares appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

    from Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2UvzB0b