Tag: Fool

  • Why Tesla stock continued to surge higher today

    A family drives along the road with smiles on their faces.

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

    Reports of the demise of electric vehicle (EV) sales appear to have been exaggerated. At least that’s the conclusion that investors are drawing after Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) reported its second-quarter EV delivery numbers today.

    After the EV leader reported stronger-than-anticipated vehicle deliveries, Tesla shares led the S&P 500 gainers for the second straight day. As of 10:55 a.m. ET, the stock was up by 8.6% after jumping by more than 6% yesterday. Tesla stock was a beneficiary yesterday ahead of its report after several Chinese EV makers reported strong sales data. But there was even more to like than most anticipated from Tesla’s update today.

    Not just about EV sales

    Tesla delivered nearly 444,000 EVs in the second quarter. Investors had been reducing expectations throughout the period resulting in a consensus estimate of 439,000 units, according to FactSet. The reported figure was almost 5% lower than the year-ago period, but there were some positive facets of the report that investors may be focused on.

    In addition to beating estimates, the second quarter featured a drawdown in inventories as deliveries outpaced the 410,831 EVs it produced. A buildup of inventories due to lower perceived demand was a fear that helped drive Tesla’s share price down earlier this year. But the stock has now rebounded with a nearly 30% gain over just the last month.

    The good news from today’s report didn’t end there, either. The company noted a record 9.4 GWh (gigawatt hours) of energy storage products deployed in the three-month period. That more than doubled the previous record of 4.1 GWh reported in the first quarter.

    There’s been a surge in interest in energy storage products to smooth out power supply as renewable energy sources are installed for applications including growing data center construction.

    That surge in deployments bodes well for yet another source of revenue for Tesla. Investors will look for even more updates from the company when it reports full second-quarter financials on July 23 and provides an update on its self-driving technology on Aug. 8.

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

    The post Why Tesla stock continued to surge higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Tesla right now?

    Before you buy Tesla shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Tesla wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended FactSet Research Systems and Tesla. Howard Smith has positions in Tesla. 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.

  • Own NAB shares? You just got a 44% return in FY24

    A woman wearing a flowing red dress, poses dramatically on a beach with the sea in the background.

    Normally, the phrases ‘40% return’ and ‘bank shares’ aren’t uttered in the same sentence. ASX bank shares like National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) are known for many things.

    Fat, fully franked, market-leading dividends would be the obvious choice. Stable, mature business models and multi-decade presences on the ASX could also be thrown around.

    But 40% returns in 12-month periods? That’s certainly a new one.

    Yet that’s exactly what NAB shares have delivered for their investors over the financial year just gone. Yep, NAB shares rose by a whopping 35.6% over the 2024 financial year.

    Want proof? Well, NAB shares started FY24 at $26.37 each. But by the time trading wrapped up last Friday, those same shares closed at $36.23. That’s a capital gain of 37.39% alone.

    If you want visual proof, just check out the graph below:

    But then we have to factor in NAB’s hefty dividend payments as well. Over the financial year that’s just passed us by, NAB doled out two fully franked dividend payments. As is the bank’s typical habit.

    Last July saw an interim dividend worth 83 cents per share paid out. Then we had December’s final dividend, worth 84 cents per share.

    Together, this $1.67 in dividends per share would have resulted in investors enjoying an additional yield of 6.33% over FY24, going off the bank’s FY24 starting price. So all up, investors have bagged a massive 43.7% in total gains from NAB shares last financial year.

    What about NAB shares in FY25?

    So NAB has had a phenomenal FY24. But what about the now-current financial year? Can investors expect another 40%-plus windfall from their NAB shares?

    Unfortunately, it doesn’t look good, at least according to some ASX experts.

    Last month, my Fool colleague Tristan covered the views of ASX broker UBS. UBS did note that it expects NAB to grow profits over both FY24 and FY25, which bodes well for NAB’s dividend payments. However, that wasn’t enough for UBS to hold back in issuing a ‘sell’ rating on the NAB share price.

    The broker simply sees NAB as “fully valued” at its current pricing, and gives the bank a 12-month share price target of $30. If realised, that would see investors take a 16% haircut from where the shares are today.

    Just over a month ago, we also looked at the view of another broker in Goldman Sachs. Goldman voiced similar concerns, noting that NAB “trades well above its 15-year average” and that all ASX banks are “close to record expensive”.

    Goldman gave NAB shares a neutral rating at the time, with a share price target of $34.04.

    So it seems most ASX experts aren’t liking what they see with NAB shares at the current price. That’s certainly something for investors to keep in mind after such a bumper FY24.

    The post Own NAB shares? You just got a 44% return in FY24 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in National Australia Bank Limited right now?

    Before you buy National Australia Bank Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and National Australia Bank Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in National Australia Bank. 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.

  • Top broker says Pilbara Minerals shares are ‘a super buy at these levels’

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares have taken quite a beating over the past 12 months.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lithium stock closed yesterday trading for $2.97 apiece. That sees the stock down more than 41% since this time last year, when shares were swapping hands for $5.06 each.

    That’s a far cry from the performance we witnessed in 2021, when the lithium miner’s shares leapt 288% over the calendar year.

    But things began heading downhill in late 2023. That’s when lithium prices fell off a cliff as surging supply growth began to outpace global demand growth for the battery-critical metal.

    For longer-term investors, however, the big selldown in Pilbara Minerals shares could represent a buying opportunity. One with a potential upside of more than 66%.

    That’s according to Richard Coppleson, director of institutional sales and trading at Bell Potter.

    According to Coppleson (quoted by The Australian Financial Review), “I own this and like it a lot. I think it’s a super buy at these levels. When lithium does recover, this is back to $5; only question is when will that be?”

    When will lithium prices recover?

    Like most market analysts, Coppleson is confident lithium prices will recover. Until then, though, it’s unlikely that Pilbara Minerals shares will rocket back to $5.

    On Tuesday, lithium carbonate was trading for US$12,800 a tonne.

    As for the outlook for global lithium prices, Citi forecasts that fast-building lithium inventories are likely to further pressure prices.

    “This high and rising low-shelf-life chemical inventories should see lithium prices fall another 15% to 20% to $US10,000 a tonne,” Citi global head of commodities research Max Layton said.

    But Citi expects lithium prices could begin to pick back up in 2025. According to Layton:

    A low-price environment over the next three to six months would force supply curtailments, driving physical markets to rebalance… Lithium consumption is expected to accelerate from 2025 onwards once the current negative EV sentiment fades.

    Advantage Pilbara Minerals shares?

    One advantage Pilbara Minerals shares could have over some of the miner’s rivals is the company’s comparatively low costs.

    “Pilbara’s relatively low unit costs have so far seen the company withstand softer pricing, providing a competitive advantage over others in the sector,” CEO Dale Henderson said when Pilbara reported its half-year results in February.

    And the company’s balance sheet remains strong, despite revenue dropping 27% year-on-year to $192 million in the March quarter. Management noted that fall reflected “a 28% decline in average realised price partly offset by a 3% increase in sales volume”.

    Pilbara Minerals had a cash balance of $1.8 billion as at 31 March.

    The post Top broker says Pilbara Minerals shares are ‘a super buy at these levels’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Pilbara Minerals Limited right now?

    Before you buy Pilbara Minerals Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Pilbara Minerals Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.

  • Is it time to buy FY24’s worst-performing ASX shares?

    With the end of a financial year and the beginning of a new one this week, it’s pertinent to look back on some of our share market’s best and worst stocks over the past 12 months and assess whether we should buy these ASX shares.

    On the weekend, my Fool colleague James named the worst-performing shares for FY24. They included Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX: FBU), Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS), Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR) and IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO). However, the worst performer on the index over FY24 was lithium stock Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR).

    These shares were dastardly performers over the 12 months to 30 June 2024. Liontown, in particular, lost its investors a painful 68%.

    As it happens, Liontown shares rallied more than 10% yesterday before news of a funding deal halted the shares. Still, this move comes too late to save the company from taking out the crown of thorns as the worst ASX 200 stock of FY24.

    But the more value-inclined investors out there might be sizing up these FY24 laggards today. After all, it was the legendary Waren Buffett who famously told us to “be greedy when others are fearful”. And investors were clearly mighty fearful of Fletcher Building, Healius, Star Entertainment, IGO and Liontown last financial year.

    Well, the good news for these value investors is that most of these shares are currently being eyed off by some ASX experts for their value potential.

    ASX experts rate some of the worst ASX shares of FY24 as a buy

    As reported in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) this week, Richard Coppleson, director of institutional sale and trading at Bell Potter, reckons the lithium sector is undervalued. Coppleson’s pick in lithium is the poor FY24 performer Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) rather than Liontown:

    I own this and like it a lot… I think it’s a super buy at these levels – when lithium does recover, this is back to $5 – only question is when will that be?

    Star Entertainment is another beaten-down stock that has an enthusiastic backer. Atlantic Pacific Capital is reportedly a big fan of Star shares at their recent pricing. Fund manager Nicolas Bryon recently stated:

    If one were to read popular media, social media or the anonymous on chat forums, you would be convinced that this is potentially the worst decision in the world…

    Often those who don’t understand distressed investing will dump positions. This is true of institutional and retail investors alike … ultimately these assets are premium entertainment precincts. If operated well, they can earn above their cost of capital.

    Atlantic Pacific Capital joins other fund managers like Cooper Investors and L1 Capital in holding Star shares.

    Healius also has some fans amongst the ASX professional investing class. Maple-Brown Abbott, Perpetual Ltd (ASX: PPT) and Argo Investments Ltd (ASX: ARG) all retain significant stakes in Helius within their portfolios.

    But before we go, it’s worth keeping in mind another one of Warren Buffett’s best quotes:

    Mr. Market [the stock market] is there to serve you, not to guide you. It is his pocketbook, not his wisdom, that you will find useful. If he shows up some day in a particularly foolish mood, you are free to either ignore him or to take advantage of him, but it will be disastrous if you fall under his influence.

    Just because a share has had a disastrous year doesn’t mean it will bounce back in value. Sure, some beaten-down shares will end up getting oversold and might represent buying opportunities. But others are sold off for a very good reason and might end up being value traps.

    So make sure you follow Buffett’s advice and avoid getting ‘guidance’ from the share market. As he says, letting it guide our investing decisions is a path to disaster.

    The post Is it time to buy FY24’s worst-performing ASX shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Fletcher Building Limited right now?

    Before you buy Fletcher Building Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Fletcher Building Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Buy Woolworths and these ASX dividend stocks

    If you are trying to decide which ASX dividend stocks to add to your income portfolio, then it could be worth looking at three listed below that analysts are bullish on.

    Here’s what you need to know about these income options:

    Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT (ASX: HCW)

    Analysts at Bell Potter think that Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT could be an ASX dividend stock to buy. It is a property company with a focus on health and wellness assets. This includes hospitals, aged care facilities, and primary care properties.

    The broker believes it is well-positioned to provide investors with some big dividend yields in the coming years. It is forecasting dividends per share of 8 cents in FY 2024 and then 8.3 cents in FY 2025. Based on the current Healthco Healthcare and Wellness REIT unit price of $1.08, this will mean yields of 7.4% and 7.7%, respectively.

    Bell Potter has a buy rating and $1.50 price target on its shares.

    Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP)

    Another ASX dividend stock that has been tipped as a buy is Stockland. It is Australia’s largest community creator, delivering a range of masterplanned communities and medium density housing in growth areas across the country.

    Citi is positive on the company and sees a lot of positives from its plan to acquire the communities business of Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC). It expects the addition to give Stockland’s earnings a boost in the near term.

    For now, though, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 26.2 cents in FY 2024 and 26.6 cents in FY 2025. Based on the current Stockland share price of $4.17, this will mean yields of 6.3% and 6.4% yields, respectively.

    Citi has a buy rating and $5.10 price target on its shares.

    Woolworths Limited (ASX: WOW)

    Analysts at Goldman Sachs think that supermarket giant and Big W owner Woolworths could be an ASX dividend stock to buy. In fact, the broker is so positive on the retailer that it has its shares on its coveted conviction list.

    Goldman believes Woolworths’ shares are undervalued at current levels. Particularly given its belief that the company is positioned to deliver solid earnings and dividend growth in the coming years.

    In respect to the latter, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of $1.07 in FY 2024 and $1.13 in FY 2025. This equates to dividend yields of 3.2% and 3.4%, respectively.

    Goldman has a buy rating and $40.20 price target on its shares.

    The post Buy Woolworths and these ASX dividend stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Healthco Healthcare And Wellness Reit right now?

    Before you buy Healthco Healthcare And Wellness Reit shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Healthco Healthcare And Wellness Reit wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. 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 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.

  • Buy these market-beating ASX ETFs in FY25

    Man looking at an ETF diagram.

    In the last financial year the ASX 200 index delivered a return of 7.8% before dividends.

    While this was a great performance, there were a number of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that achieved market-beating returns over the 12 months.

    For example, the three ASX ETFs listed below all made their unitholders smile in FY 2024. And the good news is that they could continue this trend long into the future. Here’s why:

    BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

    This hugely popular ASX ETF continued its winning ways in the last financial year. During the 12 months, the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF delivered a return of approximately 30%.

    This was driven by strong performances from many of its 100 holdings during the period. One of those was of course Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), which almost tripled in value during the year. This made the graphics processing units company the largest on Wall Street at one stage with a market capitalisation above US$3 billion.

    Looking to the future, this ETF looks well-positioned thanks to the positive long-term outlooks of many of the companies held by the fund. These are the tech behemoths that provide the search engines, streaming services, mobile phones, spreadsheets, electric vehicles, and online shopping platforms we use daily.

    Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY)

    Another ASX ETF that beat the market in the last financial year was the Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF.  It achieved a return of 23% over the 12 months.

    It seems that the fund’s focus on investing in the highest quality companies in the world is working wonders for investors. Betashares’ chief economist, David Bassanese, will no doubt be pleased with this return. He recommended the ETF last year.

    At present, there are approximately 150 companies included in the fund. These companies rank highly on four key metrics: return on equity, debt-to-capital, cash flow generation, and earnings stability. Given its success last year, it wouldn’t be surprising if this ETF continues its strong form

    Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

    The popular Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF outperformed with a gain of almost 19% during the last financial year.

    It isn’t hard to see why this ASX ETF delivered the goods for investors. That’s because it is focused on buying 1,500 of the world’s largest listed companies from major developed countries.

    This means that you are buying a slice of high-quality global giants from a range of industries. This includes Apple, Johnson & Johnson, JP Morgan, Nestle, and Visa.

    The post Buy these market-beating ASX ETFs in FY25 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, JPMorgan Chase, Nvidia, and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Johnson & Johnson and Nestlé. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nvidia and Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

    Smiling man with phone in wheelchair watching stocks and trends on computer

    On Tuesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had another poor session and dropped into the red. The benchmark index fell 0.4% to 7,718.2 points.

    Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to rebound

    It looks set to be a good day for the Australian share market on Wednesday after a positive session in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 20 points or 0.25% higher. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones was up 0.4%, the S&P 500 pushed 0.6% higher, and the Nasdaq climbed 0.85%.

    Oil prices fall

    ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a poor session after oil prices dropped overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 0.4% to US$83.04 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 0.15% to US$86.47 a barrel. This may have been driven by profit taking after oil hit a two-month high.

    Buy Liontown shares

    The Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) share price is undervalued according to analysts at Bell Potter. In response to its funding news, the broker has retained its speculative buy rating and $1.85 price target on the lithium developer’s shares. It said: “The LG CN funding is a pragmatic solution to remove the onerous terms associated with traditional bank debt and increase the company’s cash liquidity headroom. […] Under our modelled assumptions, we expect that LTR is fully funded to free cash flow.”

    Gold price relatively flat

    ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) will be on watch following a flat night for the gold price. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up a fraction to US$2,339.5 an ounce. This follows an update from the US Federal Reserve which revealed that it isn’t ready to cut rates yet.

    BHP rated as a buy

    Analysts at Goldman Sachs think BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares would be a good option for investors. This morning, the broker has reaffirmed its buy rating and $48.40 price target on the mining giant’s shares. Goldman notes that BHP’s shares have an “attractive valuation, but at a premium to RIO. Although we believe this premium can be partly maintained due to ongoing superior margins and operating performance.”

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bhp Group right now?

    Before you buy Bhp Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Bhp Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woodside Energy Group. 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.

  • How come the Telstra share price crashed 16% in FY 2024?

    Man on a laptop thinking.

    The Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price just closed out a financial year to forget.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) telco ended FY 2023 trading for $4.30 apiece. On Friday, the final trading day of FY 2024, shares closed at $3.62.

    That saw the Telstra share price down a painful 15.8% over the 12 months.

    For some context, the ASX 200 gained 7.8% over this same period.

    Now, shareholders will have gotten some reprieve from the two fully franked dividends the company paid out over the year. Telstra shares currently trade on a trailing yield of 4.85%.

    Here’s what put the ASX 200 telco under pressure in FY 2024.

    Why did the Telstra share price go backwards in FY 2024?

    Among the headwinds hitting the Telstra share price over the financial year just past is ongoing inflationary pressure.

    In February, Telstra CEO Vicki Brady indicated that sticky inflation was making the company’s cost reduction plans more difficult.

    “While our cost reduction ambition is being challenged by high inflation, we still expect to achieve the large majority of this by FY25,” she said.

    Telstra since revealed its plans to cut as many as 2,800 employees as part of that cost-cutting initiative. And in a move that’s divided analysts, the ASX 200 telco has said it will no longer increase its monthly mobile charges in line with inflation, as it has been doing.

    Investors also appeared displeased when Telstra announced on 17 August that it would not sell its holdings in InfraCo Fixed.

    “After thoroughly examining alternatives, we have concluded that the greatest value to be created for shareholders is by maintaining the current ownership structure of InfraCo Fixed, for at least the medium term,” Brady said.

    Some analysts had expected the asset sale to unlock additional value for the company. The Telstra share price closed down 2.8% on the day.

    Investors also didn’t react positively to Telstra’s half-year results, released on 15 February. Despite the company reporting a 1.2% year on year increase in income to $11.7 billion, and an 11.5% boost in net profit after tax, which came in at $1.0 billion for the six months to 31 December, the Telstra share price closed down 2.3% on the day.

    The selling was spurred by the underperformance of the telco’s NAS (network applications and services) business, which negatively impacted its guidance.

    Brady said on the day:

    Given the performance in our NAS business, we are tightening our FY24 underlying EBITDA guidance range to $8.2 to $8.3 billion. FY24 guidance across other measures is reaffirmed.

    Prior guidance was for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) to be between $8.2 billion and $8.4 billion.

    As for the new financial year, Telstra finished trading on the second day of FY25 yesterday at $3.61.

    The post How come the Telstra share price crashed 16% in FY 2024? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Telstra Corporation Limited right now?

    Before you buy Telstra Corporation Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Telstra Corporation Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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 positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 3 best-performing ASX 200 mining shares of FY24

    Three satisfied miners with their arms crossed looking at the camera proudly

    The performance of ASX 200 mining shares in FY24 was mixed amid some commodity prices rising while others were volatile and fell (or absolutely tanked in the case of lithium).

    At the time of writing, silver is up 28% and gold is up 21% over the past 12 months, according to Trading Economics. Copper is up 16.5% and platinum is up 8%.

    On the flipside, lithium is down by more than 70% and iron ore is off 5%.

    So, perhaps it’s no surprise that the top three fastest-rising ASX 200 mining stocks are involved in one of the star commodities of FY24.

    And that’s gold.

    The gold price reached all-time record highs repeatedly throughout FY24. Last night, the market reset the peak price once again at about US$2,338 per ounce.

    The apparent peaking of interest rates around the world was one factor in the gold price’s rise over FY24.

    Another was global geopolitical tensions, which encouraged investors and central banks to take on extra exposure to this traditional safe-haven asset.

    3 best ASX 200 mining shares for price growth

    Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence shows these are the top three ASX 200 mining shares for FY24.

    Red 5 Limited (ASX: RED)

    Red 5 is a gold explorer and producer with assets in Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields area. They include the Darlot Gold Mine and the King of the Hills project.

    Red 5 was the most outstanding of the ASX 200 mining shares for price growth in FY24. The Red 5 share price rose by 89.5% over FY24.

    There were two significant surges for the Red 5 share price in FY24.

    The first was in August after the company announced outstanding drilling results and the completion of 95% of the FY24 mine plan at the King of the Hills mine.

    The second run was sparked in February after Red 5 released its 1H FY24 results. The company reported significant lifts in gold production and a 77% bump in sales revenue. Its net profit after tax (NPAT) was $29 million compared to a loss of $28.5 million in 1H FY23.

    In other news, Red 5 announced a proposed merger with fellow ASX 200 gold producer Silver Lake Resources Ltd (ASX: SLR) in February.

    West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF)

    West African Resources has a 90% interest in the Sanbrado Gold Operations and Kiaka Gold Projects in West Africa. The Government of Burkina Faso owns the remaining 10% in both projects. The company also owns the Toega Gold Deposit, which is 14km away from Sanbrado.

    The West African Resources share price rose by 86.1% over FY24. The share price ramped up mostly in the second half of FY24 after the miner issued a resource, reserve and 10-year production update in February.

    The miner forecasts production of 4.03Moz of gold between 2024 and 2033. This was 415,000 ounces higher than the previous forecast. The mine plans extend to 2034 at Sanbrado and 2042 at Kiaka, assuming an average gold price of US$1,400 per ounce. It expects peak gold production in 2029.

    The company increased its mineral resources estimate by 181,000 ounces to 12.8Moz of gold and decreased its ore reserves estimate by 275,000 ounces to 6.1Moz of gold.

    Construction costs at Kiaka are on-budget, with first production expected in 3Q FY25. The company is fully funded via a US$265 million debt facility till that point.

    Emerald Resources NL (ASX: EMR)

    Emerald Resources owns projects in Cambodia and Australia. Its flagship mine, Okvau, is 100% owned and located 275km northeast of Phnom Penh.

    The Emerald Resources share price rose by 72.2% over FY24. It rose pretty steadily throughout the year.

    In the last production update issued in April, Emerald Resources reported gold production of 28,539 ounces. That was at the upper end of its guidance of 25,000 ounces to 30,000 ounces per quarter.

    The company reported sales of 28.5koz of gold in the March 2024 quarter at an average price of US$2,069 per ounce.

    In other news, the company completed its takeover of Bullseye Mining via compulsory acquisition last month.

    The post 3 best-performing ASX 200 mining shares of FY24 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Emerald Resources Nl right now?

    Before you buy Emerald Resources Nl shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Emerald Resources Nl wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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.

  • Shares vs. property: Which delivered the best growth in FY24?

    Two people comparing and analysing material.

    When we compare the capital growth of ASX 200 shares vs. property in FY24, bricks and mortar comes out on top… but only just.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rose from a closing value of 7,203.3 points on the last trading day of FY23 to a closing value of 7,767.5 points on the last trading day of FY24, delivering a 7.83% gain.

    Meantime, the national median home value, which reflects all types of property in a single data point, rose by 8% over the 12 months, according to CoreLogic data.

    In dollar terms, that’s equivalent to a $59,000 increase per home across Australia over the financial year.

    The national median house price rose by 8.4%, and the median apartment price lifted by 6.5% over FY24.

    If we drill down to look at the capital gains across all eight of the capital cities and their regional counterparts, we see significant disparities.

    The most glaring is the outstanding strength of Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide and the regional markets of those states, compared to the weak performance of Melbourne, Hobart, and their regional counterparts.

    A key factor in their performance variance is that the strongest markets have tight supply and demand, while the weakest markets have the opposite situation.

    We’ll also take a look at the top 10 performing ASX 200 shares for the financial year. As usual, not even the strongest property markets grew by as much as those top-performing stocks!

    Why are home values rising when interest rates are high?

    It’s unusual to see home values rising when interest rates are doing the same.

    It’s even more surprising given the 13 rate rises imposed by the Reserve Bank between May 2022 and November 2023 represented the fastest and largest rate hiking cycle in Australia’s history.

    However, the housing shortage has become so acute in this country that its impact is actually trumping interest rates in the marketplace.

    Demand is so strong, and the number of homes for sale is so low in those strongest markets that prices are continuing to rise despite high interest rates making affordability worse.

    How shares vs. property performed in FY24

    Here we compare the capital growth rate for houses in each city and regional property market in FY24.

    Property market Capital growth of houses in FY24
    Perth 23.7%
    Regional Western Australia 16.9%
    Brisbane 15.2%
    Adelaide 15.1%
    Regional Queensland 12.3%
    Regional South Australia 11.4%
    National 8.4%
    Sydney 6.8%
    Regional New South Wales 4%
    Canberra 3.2%
    Darwin 3.1%
    Melbourne 1.2%
    Regional Tasmania 0.2%
    Hobart (0.3%)
    Regional Victoria (0.4%)
    Regional Northern Territory (2.9%)
    Source: CoreLogic

    Best performing ASX 200 shares of FY24

    Here we compare the capital growth of the top 10 ASX 200 shares in FY24.

    ASX 200 shares Capital growth in FY24
    Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME) 118.3%
    Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) 115.4%
    Red 5 Limited (ASX: RED) 89.5%
    West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF) 86.1%
    Altium Ltd (ASX: ALU) 84.3%
    Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB) 82.9%
    Deep Yellow Limited (ASX: DYL) 77.5%
    SiteMinder Ltd (ASX: SDR) 74.3%
    Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU) 73.6%
    Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) 73.1%
    Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence

    The post Shares vs. property: Which delivered the best growth in FY24? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Life360 right now?

    Before you buy Life360 shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Life360 wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Goodman Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Altium, Goodman Group, Hub24, Life360, Pro Medicus, and SiteMinder. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended SiteMinder. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Goodman Group, Hub24, and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.