The Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) share price has returned from its trading halt with a bang.

In afternoon trade, the lithium developer’s shares were up as much as 17% to $1.04.

They have pulled back since then but remain up 10% to 98 cents at the time of writing.

What’s going on with the Liontown share price?

This morning, Liontown requested a trading halt until Thursday while it prepared an announcement relating to the funding of the Kathleen Valley Lithium Project in Western Australia.

It turns out the company didn’t need the two days to make the announcement and has returned early this afternoon following its release.

According to the announcement, Liontown Resources has secured a US$250 million investment and 10-year offtake extension from foundational partner, LG Energy Solution.

Investment secured

These funds will be raised through the issue of five-year convertible notes at a coupon equal to a reference rate of the secured overnight financing rate (SOFR) to maturity. They can be converted or redeemed earlier at a conversion price of $1.80 per share. If converted today, the convertible notes would convert into an approximate 8% shareholding in Liontown.

The company’s total cash balance increases to approximately A$501 million following this investment, which provides balance sheet strength to fund the Kathleen Valley ramp-up to 3Mtpa steady state production.

It will also allow the company to progress early enabling works in the underground mine to preserve the 4Mtpa expansion option on a 2027 timeframe and to support 3Mtpa production. Liontown continues optimisation studies for both the mine and the processing plant as part of its review of the 4Mtpa expansion case.

In respect to the offtake, the extension means it is now a lengthy 15-year agreement. It will start with LG Energy Solution taking 100ktpa in the first year and then increases to an average of approximately 150ktpa thereafter.

‘A tremendous endorsement’

Liontown Resources’ managing director and CEO, Tony Ottaviano, was very pleased with the investment. He believes it demonstrates the quality of the project. Ottaviano said:

I am very pleased to announce that we have taken a major step forward in our strategic partnership with foundational customer LG Energy Solution, one of the world’s leading battery producers. LG Energy Solution’s long-term investment in Liontown is a testament to the world-class quality of the Kathleen Valley Project and a tremendous endorsement of the capability of our team. The funding will be instrumental in supporting the production ramp up to 3Mtpa and early works necessary to preserve the potential 4Mtpa expansion case for Kathleen Valley.

Lithium refinery

Also giving the Liontown share price a boost today could be news that the two parties are looking into the viability of developing a lithium refinery. This would allow the company to process Kathleen Valley spodumene into battery-grade lithium chemicals. Ottaviano commented:

I am pleased to announce that the strategic partnership with LG Energy Solution will also include entering into a new downstream collaboration agreement to investigate the establishment of an IRA-compliant lithium refinery to process Kathleen Valley spodumene into battery-grade lithium chemicals.

These developments pave the way for Liontown to pursue our long-term strategy to be a globally significant provider of battery minerals as the world transitions to a low-carbon future. We believe this partnership and investment will deliver substantial value to our stakeholders and position us at the forefront of the lithium industry.

The Liontown share price remains down 66% over the past 12 months.

The post Liontown share price roars 17% higher on funding update and ‘tremendous endorsement’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why are Liontown shares in a trading halt today?
• Bell Potter names the best ASX mining stocks to buy in FY25
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• These were the five worst ASX 200 shares to own in FY24
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

BrainChip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN) shares were one of the weakest performers on the ASX in FY 2024. In the past 12 months, the ASX AI stock plunged nearly 39% in the red.

The company’s shares are swapping hands at 22 cents apiece at the time of writing, having peaked at a closing high of 49 cents per share on 26 February.

Now that we’ve entered the new financial year, investors are left wondering what lies ahead for BrainChip in FY 2025. Let’s take a closer look.

Why have BrainChip shares fallen so drastically?

BrainChip shares had a turbulent time last financial year – and that’s putting it lightly.

Stock in the AI company went from trading at yearly lows of 14 cents per share in October last year, before hitting the 52-week highs in February, outlined earlier. This surge was short-lived, and the stock now languishes near prior lows.

Several factors contributed to this rollercoaster ride, in my view.

For one, the significant rise in February was likely influenced by the soaring stock of US-listed AI giant NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA).

Investors went on an AI-stock feeding frenzy after NVIDIA’s Q1 2024 results. This prompted speculative trading in ASX tech companies, including BrainChip shares.

However, BrainChip’s financial performance didn’t justify such a surge. The company reported a net loss of US$28.9 million for 2023.

Perhaps this wouldn’t have been an issue if the company hadn’t reported a loss of US$22.1 million the year prior. And the fact sales declined 95% over the period.

Stocks are priced on fundamentals. This financial result from BrainChip saw the stock plummet in the days and weeks following.

Which is interesting, given the company’s specialty in neuromorphic computing – a highly differentiated AI segment. The company released the second generation of this technology, Akida, in FY 2024. Neuromorphic computing replicates the human brain’s processing power in data analysis.

Investors were obviously expecting more from the company in this highly differentiated domain. Especially as management didn’t obtain royalty agreements for any sales related to the IP of the technology.

Were investors expecting too much? BrainChip shares have sunk 16 cents apiece since then, so it’s difficult to tell.

What’s next for BrainChip?

Analysts remain cautious about BrainChip. Niv Dagan from Peak Asset Management recently recommended selling BrainChip shares, citing disappointing financials and high cash outflows, according to The Bull.

Dagan noted the company’s cash reserves had decreased from US$14.3 million in the prior quarter to US$13 million, whilst operating cash outflows were on the rise:

This artificial intelligence company ended the recent March quarter with $US13 million in cash compared to $US14.3 million in the prior quarter. Net operating cash outflows in the March quarter were higher than the prior quarter. Cash inflows from customers were lower in the March quarter compared to the prior quarter. The shares have fallen from 49 cents on February 26 to trade at 21 cents on June 20. We prefer other stocks at this stage of the cycle.

Despite reporting significant interest from potential customers, the company has yet to translate this into substantial sales.

At its recent AGM, CEO Sean Hehir expressed optimism about ongoing licensing discussions and potential sales in the audio and microcontroller segments. Time will tell.

Foolish takeaway

BrainChip shares have had a rough year, and the road ahead remains uncertain. While the company’s innovative technology holds promise, it needs to deliver on its revenue potential to regain investor trust.

Investors might want to weigh the potential rewards against the risks. Some experts currently advise looking at other opportunities.

The post BrainChip shares struggle in FY24 – what’s ahead for FY25? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Is it time to give up on BrainChip shares?
• Brainchip share price tumbles 40% in the past year. What’s next?
• With nothing in my savings account, I’d use Warren Buffett’s golden rule to build wealth
• 2 ASX AI shares that could be set to soar in 2024 and beyond
• Why Brainchip, Immutep, Liontown, and Xero shares are tumbling today

Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Who doesn’t love big returns? And while nothing is guaranteed in the share market, analysts believe the three ASX shares listed below could deliver the goods for investors.

Over the next 12 months, they are tipping them to rise 15% and 35%. Here’s what you need to know about them:

Objective Corporation Ltd (ASX: OCL)

Analysts at Morgans think Objective Corporation could be a great option for investors. It is a best-in-class specialist software company which services the public sector and highly regulated industries.

The broker has an add rating and $14.00 price target on the ASX share. This suggests that upside of 18% is possible from current levels.

Morgans highlights that the company is well-placed to grow strongly thanks to favourable industry trends. It said:

Global Public Sector software spend is anticipated to grow at a low double-digit rates over the near term as governments look to streamline workflow, improve security, and modernise legacy IT infrastructure. We see Objective as being a beneficiary of this trend.

Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV)

Bell Potter thinks this retail giant could be an ASX share to buy. The broker currently has a buy rating and $35.00 price target on its shares, which implies potential upside of approximately 17% for investors over the next 12 months.

The broker believes its shares are undervalued at current levels. Particularly given the potential value that will be unlocked from its demerger plans. It said:

PMV is currently trading on ~15x FY26e P/E (BPe) which we think is conservative given the value that we see emerging from the potential demerger of PMV’s two key brands, Smiggle and Peter Alexander which we believe are global roll-out worthy and highly profitable. We see further upside from the higher ownership PMV shareholders could receive in the Myer Group (MYR) given the potential to grow post MYR’s turnaround phase and synergies from merging with PMV’s apparel brands.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

Over at Goldman Sachs, its analysts think that this cloud accounting platform provider’s shares could rise strongly from current levels.

Earlier today, the broker reiterated its conviction buy rating and lifted its price target to $180.00. This suggests that upside of 35% is possible over the next 12 months.

It has become even more bullish after looking deeper into its UK opportunity. Goldman also highlights Xero’s huge global total addressable market (TAM) to grow into. It said:

Following our June UK trip, attending Xerocon and meeting with accountants/competitors/experts, we are encouraged with the positive feedback (vs. our 2022 trip), in particular around its refreshed strategy and increased focus. […] We see Xero as very well-placed to take advantage of the digitisation of SMBs globally, driven by compelling efficiency benefits and regulatory tailwinds, with >100mn SMBs worldwide representing a >NZ$100bn TAM.

The post These ASX shares could rise 15% to 35% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Can ASX 200 tech shares produce another strong performance in FY25?
• Brokers just put buy ratings on these ASX 200 tech stocks
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Here’s how the ASX 200 market sectors stacked up last week
• Here’s why brokers say these ASX growth shares are top buys

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Objective and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Objective and Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

If you’ve been keeping up with the tech industry, you’ve witnessed artificial intelligence (AI) go from a niche topic to the hottest theme in business. It’s almost inescapable at this point. Many businesses have benefited from the AI boom, but maybe none more so than Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA).

The chipmaker’s stock is up by more than 160% this year alone, continuing a rally that has seen its stock price increase by more than 760% in the past year and a half. It even briefly took the title of the “world’s most valuable public company,” passing tech titans Microsoft and Apple.

Nvidia’s run has been remarkable, there’s no doubt. However, with so many investors rushing to buy the stock, others are wondering whether the hype has pushed it into bubble territory.

How did Nvidia get to this point?

Nvidia is known for its graphic processing units (GPUs) — blazing-fast parallel processors that are among the best hardware available for providing the computational power necessary to train and deploy AI models. According to some estimates, the company recently held as large as a 95% share of the AI chip market, so to say it’s important to the AI pipeline would be an understatement.

There’s also the data center aspect. Data centers are the foundation of AI infrastructure, providing the computational power needed to process and analyze massive amounts of data. Without that ability, there’s no AI as we know it.

Most of the companies that run these data centers have built them using massive volumes of Nvidia’s GPUs — among them, major cloud platform providers Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet. Their unprecedented demand for Nvidia’s AI-related hardware has put the company on a whole new trajectory.

Its earnings from the first quarter were beyond impressive

Nvidia’s financials have soared due to the unprecedented demand. In its fiscal 2025 first quarter, which ended April 30, the company reported year-over-year gains that most large companies can only dream about.

Its revenue increased 262% to $26 billion, led by a 427% increase in data center revenue of $22.6 billion (both company records). Arguably more impressive, though, was the 690% jump in operating income to $16.9 billion. And its gross margin went from 64.6% to 78.4% — not too shabby.

NVDA Operating Income (Quarterly) data by YCharts.

Nvidia is surely benefiting from increased demand for its chips, but an underrated upside of being the undisputed leader in the space is the pricing power that comes with it. With demand continuing to outstrip supply, Nvidia should be able to charge premium prices and maintain its impressive margins.

To say the stock is expensive would be an understatement

Nvidia’s financials have been impressive, but the stock is one of the most expensive on the market. The surge in earnings has brought its valuation down to a more reasonable level than the roughly 240 price-to-earnings ratio it had last year, but it’s still high. Just look at how it compares to tech giants Microsoft and Apple.

NVDA PE Ratio data by YCharts.

A high valuation can be justified when the company’s growth prospects match it, but at some point, even the most promising companies can reach valuations that go beyond what’s fundamentally reasonable.

In Nvidia’s case, many investors are rushing to buy the stock because of a fear of missing out. This happens with virtually every promising new technology. The problem is that much of the run-up is built on speculation, and with that comes an increased risk of a sharp correction if investors’ expectations aren’t met.

Is Nvidia a great company? Absolutely. But is it fair to say its stock is flirting with bubble territory? I would certainly say yes.

Slow and steady often wins the race

Nobody can reliably predict what the stock market will do in the near term, nor know if Nvidia or the AI sector as a whole are in bubbles destined to pop. You can look to history as an indicator, but nobody can say for certain. That’s why I believe the best approach to Nvidia’s stock now is to dollar-cost average your way into a stake.

When you dollar-cost average, you decide on a specific amount you can commit to investing and then set a regular schedule to make those investments. For example, you might commit to investing $400 monthly into Nvidia. From there, it’s up to you to decide if you want to divide the investments into four $100 weekly investments, two $200 bi-weekly investments, or whatever works best for you. Sticking to your schedule is more important than whatever frequency you choose.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post Nvidia’s stock is up 160% in 2024, but is it a bubble waiting to pop? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Can Nvidia stock cross $1,000 again after the stock split?
• One day, Nvidia stock will go down. Here’s how to keep it from hurting your portfolio
• Where will Nvidia stock be in 10 years?
• Nvidia is no longer the most valuable company in the world. Here’s what investors need to know
• Where are we in the share market cycle?

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Stefon Walters has positions in Apple and Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares have faced significant challenges over the past year, dropping 16.59% into the red.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has returned 6.45% in the same period, meaning Woodside has underperformed the benchmark by over 23%.

Despite this, some experts think Woodside shares might present a good buying opportunity. Let’s take a closer look.

Potential recovery for Woodside shares?

It’s been a tough ride for Woodside shares in 2024, with its share price declining by 8.11% since January.

This is partly due to a slump in oil prices and broader market conditions. For instance, WTI crude oil peaked at US$86.40 per barrel on 5 April before consolidating sharply to a low of US$74 per barrel on 3 June. It has since recovered to $83.58 per barrel at the time of writing.

According to my colleague Tristan, this led to a 25% year-over-year decrease in average realised prices for its oil production to US$63 per barrel in Q1 CY 2024.

Despite these setbacks, analysts remain cautiously optimistic about Woodside’s prospects. The company’s major growth projects, including the Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 developments, are progressing well.

Richard Coppleson of investment bank Bell Potter said Woodside shares could be “[p]retty good buying at these levels”, according to The Australian Financial Review. He stated:

[Woodside shares] may not recover quickly but should be back above $30 in the next three to five months. Safe buying here with limited downside.

Coppleson also said that Woodside’s share price could be bolstered by a trend that occurs almost every July, where investors rotate out of “last year’s winners…and into the laggards”, per the AFR.

This July trend is “so good”, he says, that it has seen the market rise around 85% of the time in the past 15 years, “with an average move at a whopping 3.55%”.

What else are analysts saying about Woodside shares?

According to CommSec, Woodside shares are rated a buy from the consensus of analyst estimates. This is made up of 10 buy recommendations and 5 hold ratings.

Morgans rates Woodside a buy with a price target of $36.00 per share, suggesting a potential upside of 25% from current levels.

The broker also forecasts fully franked dividends of $1.25 per share for FY 2024 and $1.57 per share for FY 2025. This translates to a dividend yield of 4.3% and 5.5% respectively at the current share price.

Meanwhile, in a February note, Goldman Sachs rated the company a hold. This is despite raising its forward estimates on the energy giant:

We remain Neutral rated on (1) Relative valuation, (2) Limited production growth to offset gas price weakness, (3) Oil production ramp-up uncertainty.

Aside from that, Woodside management said key projects are pushing ahead. The Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 projects were 62% complete at the end of the first quarter of 2024. It expects the first LNG cargo in 2026.

Foolish takeaway

Given the recent dip in Woodside shares, some investors see this as an opportunity to buy at lower levels to reduce the downside risk.

Analysts’ decisions are bullish on the company, but remember to always conduct your own due diligence.

The post Could beaten-up Woodside shares offer ‘Safe buying with limited downside’? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• What is the outlook for ASX 200 dividend shares in FY25?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Retirement planning guide: 710,000 Aussies to retire over next 5 years
• 4 ASX 200 dividend giants to buy in July
• Coles and these ASX dividend stocks could offer huge returns

Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The industrials sector may not be the most exciting side of the market to invest.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t exciting returns on offer from ASX industrials shares.

For example, the two ASX shares listed below have been named as buys by analysts at Bell Potter and tipped to rising strongly from current levels. They are as follows:

Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd (ASX: CWY)

The first ASX industrials share that has been given the thumbs up is Cleanaway Waste Management. As its name implies, it is one of Australia’s leading waste management companies with a footprint of over 330 sites, 6,100 trucks, and 7,500 employees.

Bell Potter is feeling positive about the company’s outlook and appears optimistic it can achieve its Mission 500 EBIT goals. It explains:

We think visibility on CWY’s Mission 500 EBIT target by FY26e has recently lifted, with management having secured work in new end markets (e.g. Vic CDS, O&G, FOGO), shown early Operational Excellence delivery in NSW Solids, and proven a focus on pricing and mix discipline in landfills. At the time of writing, CWY’s trading discount (EV/EBITDA) to its US peer group has also recently opened to more than a standard deviation below the 5-year average at ~30% (vs. 22% 5-yr average) and as such we believe screens relative value at current levels.

The broker currently has a buy rating and $3.15 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of 16% for investors.

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

Another ASX industrials share that could be a buy is IPD Group. It is a distributor of electrical equipment and industrial digital technologies.

Bell Potter believes the company is well-positioned to benefit greatly from the electrification megatrend. It explains:

Electrification continues to present as a dominant market narrative and IPD Group is strongly leveraged to this growth trend through its supply of ‘low voltage’ electrical equipment that reduces the energy use of buildings and infrastructure. Pleasingly, the bulk of IPD’s earnings growth continues to be driven organically and, notwithstanding some softness emerging in commercial construction end markets, we think that FY25 is shaping up to be another year of outperformance for the group. Favorable considerations should include continued ABB market share wins, a strong project pipeline for CMI Operations, a growing presence in data centers, and an Australian EV charging market that looks to us like it is on the precipice of finally breaking through. IPD trades on a below peer average FY25e EV/EBITDA of ~9x with, in our view, a superior growth profile.

It has a buy rating and $5.60 price target on its shares. This suggests that upside of 15% is possible over the next 12 months.

The post Bell Potter names the best ASX industrials shares to buy in FY25 (for big returns) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX shares to benefit from anticipated power shortages
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why Cleanaway, IGO, Myer, and Premier Investments shares are pushing higher
• ASX industrial stock rallying amid $110 million acquisition with ‘valuable efficiencies’
• 5 top ASX growth shares to buy in June

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Ipd Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Ipd Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

S&P/ASX All Ords (ASX: XAO) shares rose by 0.54% in June.

It’s interesting to see a very large number of ASX All Ords shares upgraded by market analysts on CommSec last month.

The ASX All Ords is made up of 500 stocks, and 80 were upgraded to strong buy ratings in June.

That’s a lot!

Let’s take a look at some of them.

9 ASX All Ords shares lifted to strong buy ratings

Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

This ASX All Ords gaming share is trading at $50.29 on Tuesday, up 0.5%.

It has risen 28.8% over the past year and hit a new 52-week high of $50.44 in earlier trading.

Citi analysts are very positive on the stock and have a 12-month share price target of $53 on it.

There was no price-sensitive news from the company last month.

Computershare Ltd (ASX: CPU)

This ASX All Ords industrial share is currently $26.36, down 0.42% today and up 12.5% over the past year.

The Computershare share price hit a 52-week high of $28.44 in April.

There was no price-sensitive news from the ASX All Ords company last month.

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

This ASX All Ords healthcare share is changing hands for $18.27 per share, up 1.02% today.

Telix shares are up 64.3% over the past year. They hit a 52-week high of $19.06 last month.

Bell Potter says buy and gives the stock a 12-month share price target of $19. 

Last month the company reported on progress for the approval for its kidney cancer imaging agent with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Telix also dumped its plans for a NASDAQ listing last month.

Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN)

This ASX All Ords financial share is slightly in the red today at $17.12, down 0.058%.

The Suncorp share price got a big boost last week when the Federal Treasurer green-lighted the sale of its banking division to Big Four bank ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ). 

Suncorp shares are up 27.5% over the past year and reached a 52-week high of $17.73 last week.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT)

This ASX All Ords technology share is certainly riding the artificial intelligence tailwind.

The CEO of data centre-as-a-service operator, Craig Scroggie, described AI as “the fourth industrial revolution” in a recent interview published on asx.com.au.

The NextDC share price is $17.47 on Tuesday, down 0.14% today and up 41% over the past year.

It hit a 52-week high of $18.50 last month.

Morgans has an add rating on Nextdc with a $19 price target on its shares. Morgan Stanley has an overweight rating with a $20 price target.

There was no price-sensitive news from the company last month.

Nick Scali Limited (ASX: NCK)

This ASX All Ords consumer discretionary share is trading at $13.26, down 0.14% today.

Nick Scali shares are up 44% over the past year. They hit a 52-week high of $16.03 in April.

There was no price-sensitive news from the furniture company last month.

Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

The Corporate Travel share price is $13.30, down 1.12% today and down 25.8% over the past year.

This ASX All Ords travel share hit a 52-week high of $21.49 in January but has sunk lower since.

My colleague Tristan reckons the travel share could be the “bargain of the year“.

There was no price-sensitive news from the company last month.

Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA)

The Champion Iron share price is $6.44, down 1.08% today and up 8% over the past year.

This ASX All Ords iron ore share hit a 52-week high of $8.75 in January.

Broker Macquarie raised its rating to outperform last month with a $7.90 price target.

There was no price-sensitive news from Champion Iron last month.

Beacon Lighting Group Ltd (ASX: BLX)

The Beacon Lighting share price is $2.45, down 2% today and up 51.2% over the past year.

The ASX All Ords share hit a 52-week high of $3.09 in April.

There was no price-sensitive news from the company last month.

The post 9 ASX All Ords shares lifted to ‘strong buy’ consensus ratings in June appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• I’d buy these 2 top ASX growth shares in a heartbeat
• These were the five best ASX bank shares to own in FY24
• What this expert predicts will be the best-performing ASX sectors in FY25
• Leaders and laggards of the ASX market sectors in FY24
• Top ASX shares to buy in July 2024

Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Anz Group, Macquarie Group, and Nick Scali. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Corporate Travel Management, Macquarie Group, and Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Corporate Travel Management and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nick Scali and Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Here at the Motley Fool, we’ve discussed DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares quite a lot over the past 12 months. That’s fair enough. Droneshield has been one of the All Ordinaries Index‘s (ASX: XAO) most conspicuous outperformers in recent history.

This is, after all, a company that has exploded by 660% since this time last year. And investors are looking at a 360% return over 2024 to date alone.

Of course, Droneshield shares’ ascent has not come unprompted. This aerial defence solutions company has been posting some outstanding numbers in recent months. Investors were chuffed to see Droneshield reveal its first-ever profit back in February, covering the 2023 calendar year.

This saw the company post a 226% rise in revenues to $55.1 million. That was in addition to the maiden profit after tax of $9.3 million, which was a pleasing swing from the previous year’s $900,000 loss.

Then, in April, Droneshield further delighted investors with its quarterly cash flow report. This report showed the company posting ten times more revenue over the three months to 31 March 2024 than it did in the same quarter last year – an increase from $1.6 million to $16.4 million.

So you can understand why Droneshield shares have been such enthusiastic winners in recent months.

But perhaps it’s time for Droneshield shares to move over. There’s another ASX defence stock that has also exploded in value in recent months. Time to check out the AML3D Ltd (ASX: AL3) share price.

AL-who? Could this share be the next Droneshield?

AML3D is a defence company that uses 3D printing technology to enable the production of large-scale and diversified parts manufacturing.

The AML3D share price has also had a time to remember over the past few months. Back in early April, you could have picked up AML3D shares for just 5 cents each. But today, those same shares are going for 10 cents a pop, meaning AML3D had rocketed by 100% in just three months.

Over the past month alone, ALM3D shares are up 67%.

Excitement over AML3D began building in February this year, when the company revealed that its revenues for the half-year ended 31 December rose by a whopping 936% to $1.51 million. That was up from just $146,115 for the prior corresponding half in 2022.

Following that revelation, AML3D reported a new $350,000 contract with the Australian Government for a six-part nozzle assembly in May. This was followed by news of a $1.54 million order from the United States Department of Defence later that month.

Last month, the company announced that it had received another $1.12 million in the form of a grant from the South Australian Economic Recovery Fund in order to help develop AML3D’s proprietary metal 3D printing technology.

Everything seems to be going AML3D’s way lately. That brings us to today. This Tuesday, there has been another announcement out of AML3D. This one told investors that AML3D has booked a $1.1 million sale of its ARCEMY system to Laser Welding Solutions (LWS), a component supplier to the US Navy.

According to the company, “LWS has been operating this ARCEMY system under a lease agreement since September 20232 for a Nickel Aluminium Bronze… alloy qualification program for the US Navy”.

This probably explains why the AML3D share price is up a healthy 4.17% so far today.

So a lot seems to be going right for AML3D shares in recent months. However, the company still has a long way to go if it is to emulate the extraordinary performance of Droneshield shares. Let’s see if it can keep growing.

The post Move over DroneShield: This ASX defence stock is up 67% in a month! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 All Ords ASX defence shares ‘poised to thrive’
• Why DroneShield, Paladin Energy, Red 5, and Synlait shares are falling
• Down 12% since Thursday, has the DroneShield share price topped out?
• Why Bigtincan, DroneShield, Guzman Y Gomez, and Helia shares are racing higher
• DroneShield shares hit record high on major new AI order

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.