The Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA) share price has surged 15% higher in early morning trade today. This comes after Nearmap released a positive trading update on recent business performance and detailed the launch of its new ‘Nearmap AI’ product.

Continued Nearmap growth across key segments 

Nearmap informed the market that its overall recent business performance has been relatively strong. It’s seen continued month by month growth across its main industry segments despite challenging economic conditions triggered by the coronavirus crisis.

The company reports its actual cash value (ACV) portfolio to be in excess of $102 million. It anticipates a closing FY20 ACV portfolio value of between $103–$107 million, on a constant currency basis.

Sales activity levels were reported to have remained strong since the coronavirus onset and with customer churn to now be below 10% on a 12-month rolling basis. This is a significant reduction from the 11.5% last reported at the end of 2019.

The company did indicate there has been some downward momentum on sales growth. Some customers have delayed their purchasing decisions, however, Nearmap sees minimal overall impact on their expanding sales pipeline.

Cash flow break-even target on track

Back in April, Nearmap announced that a number of cash management initiatives were to be implemented to preserve its cash position and strengthen its balance sheet to avoid the need to raise additional capital. These measures were aimed at reaching breakeven point by the end of FY 2020 through an approximate 30% reduction in operating and capital costs.

Pleasingly, Nearmap reported today that it is currently on track to achieve its cashflow breaking target. The company predicts its cash balance to be between $32–$35 million by the end of this financial year.

Launch of Nearmap AI product

Nearmap announced that its new artificial intelligence (AI) product; Nearmap AI, is scheduled for initial launch on 1 June in both its Australian and United States markets. The launch of this new Nearmap AI product follows recent launches of the 3D and rooftop geometry products.

Nearmap will initially be targeting Nearmap AI in the insurance, utility and local government markets. All three of these markets saw strong demand for the new product while it was still in beta mode.

More reading

• Why ANZ, Blackmores, IDP Education, & Nearmap shares are racing higher
• ASX 200 up 2.4%: Blackmores raises $92m, big four banks jump, Nearmap rockets
• What would $50,000 invested in the ASX 200 a decade ago be worth today?
• Forget day trading: Get rich with these top ASX shares
• 3 timeless investing lessons from 2020 (so far!)

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

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While the market has recently rallied around tourism and bank shares, some mid-cap Australian fintech shares have enjoyed double digit growth. Checkout.com, the UK’s fastest growing fintech, recently purchased Perth based Pin Pay, underscoring the level of international interest currently being garnered by Australian fintech companies. This is primarily for our $33 billion business-to-consumer eCommerce marketplace, but also for our access to Asia. 

These 4 mid-cap Australian fintech shares have each grown by over 30% this month alone.

Australian fintech mid-caps

Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH) has registered the largest amount of growth in May among the sector so far. If you invested in Pushpay at its low point on 16 March, your investment would have grown by 156%. The company is predominantly a donor payment management service. Its customers include faith based organisations and not-for-profit companies across Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price has surged by nearly 63% month to date. Zip Co is 1 year older than Australian fintech rival Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT). The company offers credit lines and joined the buy-now-pay-later credit market in 2019 via acquisition. I personally think this company has a very long runway ahead of it. As a side note, the company also owns Pocketbook, a truly free budget planner.

EML Payments Ltd (ASX: EML) is the next largest growing mid cap Australian fintech for May. Its share price grew by 38% month to date with only a few trading days left. The company’s core revenue earner is one-off payments via gift cards at supermarkets. This is a high-margin activity that I believe is likely to enjoy further growth as we emerge from lock down. 

Tyro Payments Ltd (ASX: TYR) has seen its share price rise by 37% month to date. From its lowest point on 19 March, the Tyro share price has risen 290%, almost 4 times. The company processes EFTPOS payments along with offering other merchant services such as e-commerce.  

Foolish Takeaway

The Australian fintech sector is attracting a lot of attention globally. Along with world leaders like Afterpay, we are fortunate to have a range of up and coming, mid-cap growth shares listed on the ASX. Each of the 4 shares I’ve looked at here represents a billion-dollar-plus company. I believe all of them offer good growth opportunities and I’d be happy to add them in my portfolio. 

More reading

• 1 key trait to look for with most top ASX growth shares
• Should you ever buy ASX shares at an all-time high?
• Have $4,000? Invest in these 4 ASX shares right now
• Are these exciting small cap ASX tech shares the next Afterpay?
• Top broker says this ASX stock is a better buy than Afterpay

Daryl Mather has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Emerchants Limited, Tyro Payments, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended PUSHPAY FPO NZX. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Emerchants 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 Keytone Dairy Corporation Ltd (ASX: KTD) share price is making a splash today, up 14.29% at the time of writing to 32 cents.

Keytone is a manufacturer and exporter of formulated dairy products in Australia and New Zealand.

The company manufactures its own products under its KeyDairy, KeyHealth and FaceClear brands. These products include premium milk and nutrition powders and health supplement capsules for the treatment of acne. Additionally, Keytone is a production partner for leading retailers and supermarket chains, undertaking contract packing services for brands around the world.

Headquartered in the heart of New Zealand’s South Island, Keytone Dairy floated on the ASX in July 2018 at an offer price of 20 cents. Its current market capitalisation stands at just over $80 million at the time of writing.

Why is the Keytone Dairy share price spiking today?

Keytone Dairy shares took off in early trade this morning after the company announced a licensing agreement for a range of Baileys iced coffee drinks. The agreement gives Keytone a distribution license for these products in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The “non-alcoholic coffee flavoured ready-to-drink dairy products”, which come in 3 flavours, are currently stocked nationally throughout Caltex petrol stations in Australia. A further national ranging at Beer Wine Spirits, part of the liquor division at Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), is “expected imminently”. Keytone will also look to roll-out the licensed Baileys range through its existing national distribution footprint.

As well as the iced coffee drinks, the agreement also includes premium Baileys powdered beverages which will be introduced to the market from 1 August 2020.

According to Keytone, initial indications for distribution opportunities in New Zealand, Hong Kong and Taiwan are promising, with “strong demand and upside expected over the short to medium term”.

The company will pay a minimum royalty of $280,000 for the license through to the end of the initial license period on 31 December 2022. Keytone expects the sales through this period to be “magnitudes higher” than the license cost, while delivering further margin benefit to the company. The range will be manufactured in-house at Keytone’s Melbourne facilities.

Commenting on today’s update, CEO Danny Rotman said:

“The licensing deal with a global company such as R & A Bailey & Co. and the Baileys brand validates the credentials of Keytone, positioning the Company for further distribution channel wins for the full proprietary product suite and provides a stepping stone for licensing of further global brands. This is a valuable contract win for the sales opportunity directly attributed to the Baileys branded products, and the significant upside this brings across the Company’s proprietary products.”

More reading

• The Aussie dollar just hit an 8-week high. Here’s how it affects your ASX shares
• 3 easy rules for building a massive ASX share portfolio
• Where will the Coles share price be in 1 year?
• The ASX 200 just hit an 11-week high. Here are 3 reasons we might be in overvalued territory
• 3 strong ASX 200 shares to buy for a retirement portfolio

Motley Fool contributor Cathryn Goh has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of 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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At lunch on Thursday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record another impressive gain. The benchmark index is currently up 2.4% to 5,912.3 points.

Here’s what has been happening on the market today:

Blackmores shares climb higher.

The Blackmores Limited (ASX: BKL) share price is climbing higher today after completing the institutional component of its capital raising. Blackmores raised $92 million through institutional investors at $72.50. This was an 8% discount to its last close price. These funds will be used to strengthen its balance sheet and liquidity position, support its activities in the Asia market, and invest in its efficiency program. Blackmores also revealed that it is on track to achieve its guidance in FY 2020.

WiseTech Global earnout update.

The WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) share price is trading lower on Thursday after providing an update on its acquisition earnouts. The logistics solutions company has renegotiated the earnout arrangements for a number of acquisitions in order to remove significant contingent cash obligations and drive the growth of its CargoWise platform. Part of the renegotiations has seen the company replace significant cash payments with shares. These shares were issued today and could have been sold by some recipients, weighing on its share price.

Bank shares charge higher again.

It has been another fantastic day of trade for the big four banks. Investors have continued to pile into the banking sector on Thursday and are driving their shares notably higher. The Australia and New Zealand Banking Grp Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price is the best performer with a gain of over 6.5%. The worst performer in the big four is the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price with a 4% gain.

Best and worst ASX 200 performers.

The best performer on the ASX 200 on Thursday has been the Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA) share price with an 18% gain. This follows the release of a positive update from the aerial imagery technology and location data company this morning. The worst performer has been the Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price with a 4% decline. This morning analysts at Macquarie and Morgans both downgraded the energy producer’s shares to neutral/hold ratings.

More reading

• The next looming test for the ASX 200 bull market is just round the corner
• Why Beach, Jumbo, ResMed, & WiseTech Global shares are dropping lower
• Why you shouldn’t fear an ASX share market crash
• Where will the Telstra share price be next year?
• Why the Blackmores share price is charging higher today

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Blackmores Limited and Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of WiseTech Global. 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 investors may be close to scaling the COVID-19 wall of worry, but they won’t have to wait long to hit the next obstacle.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) jumped 2% in morning trade as the ASX bank stocks led the charge yet again.

This takes the gain by the top 200 benchmark to around 30% since it hit its bear market trough two months ago.

This rally’s no bull

There’s a growing sense among professional investors that the rally isn’t a dead cat bounce. While it isn’t uncommon to see 20% odd jumps before a collapse during a bear market, it’s unusual for the rebound to push into 30% plus territory. It would take one springy cat to pull that off.

I believe consensus is catching up to my view that I expressed on March 30 that the worst is likely over for the ASX 200 thanks to the government’s JobKeeper program.

The last major bear stronghold (aka the big four ASX banks) is crumbling and this only adds to my conviction that financial markets have passed “peak-pain” – barring a second wave of infections.

Looming risks to the new bull market

But don’t pop the champagne just yet. I don’t think we have a clear run back to the pre-coronavirus top as there are other headwinds building on the immediate horizon.

One potential big obstacle is Hong Kong. The violent protests gripping the territory is shaping up to be a new battle front between US allies and China.

Investors aren’t paying much attention to this looming threat as they are too caught up in the coronavirus afterparty, but this would be a mistake.

Why you should watch Hong Kong

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared yesterday that the Asian financial hub no longer enjoys a high degree of autonomy from China.

This paves the way for the US government to remove Hong Kong’s special trading status and to impose sanctions against key Chinese officials and freeze Chinese assets in the US.

Such a move would mark the biggest escalation in Sino-US relations since US President Donald Trump waged a trade war against the Asian giant.

Second trade war will be worse

The trade war put a big dent in our market before the COVID-19 pandemic dominated headlines. A second trade war that puts Hong-Kong in the middle of the battlefield will be far worse than the first, in my view.

This is because the first trade war was about economics and US politics. A potential second one will involve Chinese pride and I don’t see the communist politburo compromising on this issue – not when Hong Kong symbolises China’s humiliation at the hands of the West following the Opium Wars.

It’s also alarming to see China flex its muscles on the world stage in other areas outside of Hong Kong. It’s starting to act like a superpower and this leaves it little room to back down from challenges without looking weak.

You can bet that Australia will be caught in any crossfire as we are forced to pick a side.

But Trump may only be using Hong Kong as a leverage in the next round of trade tariff negotiations, so it’s a little too early to assume the worse.

Debt time bomb

Trade wars aside, another wall of worry that the ASX 200 will need to scale is the expiration of goodwill and government stimulus in September.

This is when the JobKeeper and JobSeeker programs end. Landlords and lenders that have shown (or were forced to) restrain during the crisis might be more aggressively chasing debtors.

Even APRA is warning the banks that the worst lies ahead and not to take make a “dangerously naive” assumption of a “V” sharped economic recovery, according to the Australian Financial Review.

By all means, celebrate the flattening of the COVID-19 curve. Just remember to keep exuberance in-check.

More reading

• ASX 200 up 2.4%: Blackmores raises $92m, big four banks jump, Nearmap rockets
• Why you shouldn’t fear an ASX share market crash
• Where will the Telstra share price be next year?
• 3 ASX shares Warren Buffett couldn’t ignore today
• What would $50,000 invested in the ASX 200 a decade ago be worth today?

Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Connect with me on Twitter @brenlau.

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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As I mentioned here previously, the Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) economic team expects the cash rate to remain on hold at a record low of 0.25% until the end of 2023.

Barring a surprise flare up of inflation between now and then, I suspect that this forecast will provide accurate.

In light of this, if I had $10,000 sitting in savings accounts, I would look to put it to work in the share market where the potential returns are vastly superior.

If you have $10,000 to invest, I would suggest you consider these ASX 200 shares:

Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB)

The first option to consider buying is this infant formula and baby food company. It has been growing its sales at a very strong rate in recent years thanks to the widening of its distribution network and increasing demand in China. Until recently the company’s sales were being made at a loss, but it finally appears to have reached a scale which will make them increasingly profitable now. In light of this, I’m optimistic the capital raisings are over and it is onwards and upwards for the company from here.

Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH)

Another option to consider investing $10,000 into is Cochlear. It is one of the world’s leading hearing solutions companies and has sold more than 550,000 implantable devices globally. I don’t expect its sales to stop there and believe demand will continue to grow in the coming decades thanks to technological advances and the ageing populations tailwind. In light of this, I think it could be a great share to buy for the long term.

Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN)

A final option to consider is this ecommerce company. I believe Kogan has the potential to grow very strongly in the coming years. This is due to the popularity of its offering and the ongoing shift to online shopping. In respect to the latter, online shopping was already growing very quickly, but the pandemic appears to have accelerated this structural shift. Combined with its other verticals and the rapidly growing Kogan Marketplace, the future looks bright for Kogan.

More reading

• 1 key trait to look for with most top ASX growth shares
• Should you ever buy ASX shares at an all-time high?
• Have $4,000? Invest in these 4 ASX shares right now
• ASX 200 edges down, bank share prices fly
• Is now the right time to be buying ASX bank stocks?

James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of BUBS AUST FPO and Cochlear Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BUBS AUST FPO and Cochlear 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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In late morning trade the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is back on form and on course to record another strong gain. At the time of writing the benchmark index is up 2.3% to 5,907.8 points.

Four shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here’s why they are dropping lower:

The Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price is down over 3% to $1.64. This follows a sharp pullback in oil prices overnight due to increasing U.S.-China tensions. In addition to this, analysts at Macquarie and Morgans have just downgraded the energy producer’s shares to neutral/hold ratings. They have $1.60 and $1.66 price targets, respectively, on its shares.

The Jumbo Interactive Ltd (ASX: JIN) share price is down 2.5% to $11.82. This is despite there being no news out of the online lottery ticket seller. However, prior to today, Jumbo’s shares were up 73% from their March low. This could mean that some investors have decided to take a bit of profit off the table today.

The ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD) share price is down almost 3% to $23.44 despite there being no news out of the sleep treatment focused medical device company. Though, it is worth noting that its U.S. listed shares fell heavily overnight. As such, this decline appears to be playing catch up. Investors may have been taking profit after some stellar gains over the last 12 months.

The WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) share price is down 2% to $21.89. This morning the logistics solutions company announced that it has renegotiated the earnout arrangements for a number of acquisitions. This has included replacing significant cash payments with shares. As these shares have been issued today and not all are escrowed, I suspect that some recipients have decided to cash them in immediately.

More reading

• WiseTech Global share price drops lower on market update
• 1 key trait to look for with most top ASX growth shares
• 2 ASX shares to buy and hold for monster returns in the 2020s
• These beaten down ASX shares could be bargain buys
• 2 ASX growth stocks that could become 10-baggers in the next decade

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 Jumbo Interactive Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Jumbo Interactive 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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