Tag: Motley Fool

The Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF (ASX: VTS) is one of the most popular exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the ASX with a fund size of close to $3 billion. But what is it invested in?

The purpose of the ETF is to provide low-cost access to a broad range of US shares and “participate in their long-term growth potential”, according to Vanguard.

ETFs can be very effective investment vehicles to invest in the share market and benefit from the (hopeful) capital growth over time.

Let’s have a look at what makes up the VTS ETF’s investments:

Holdings

Firstly, we’ll look at the total number of positions in the portfolio. Some funds only have 10 or 20 positions. Other ETFs may have hundreds or even thousands of holdings.

At 31 May 2022, the Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF had a total of 4,100 positions. This is one of the most diverse funds on the ASX in terms of the number of different businesses that it provides exposure to.

While the lower-ranked holdings may not make up much of the portfolio, the VTS ETF does have some significant investments in a few leading businesses.

These were the 10 largest positions at the end of May 2022: Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon.com, Tesla, Berkshire Hathaway, Johnson & Johnson, UnitedHealth, Meta Platforms and Nvidia.

VTS ETF sector diversification

There’s more to the investments than just how many holdings it has, it could also be worthwhile knowing which industries these businesses are in.

The Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF is invested across a number of sectors.

At the end of May 2022, these were the following allocations:

Technology (25.9%)

Consumer discretionary (14%)

Health care (13.4%)

Industrials (12.8%)

Financials (11.5%)

Consumer staples (5.5%)

Energy (5%)

Real estate (3.7%)

Utilities (3.3%)

Telecommunications (2.6%)

Basic materials (2.3%)

My thoughts on the VTS ETF sector diversification

Having thousands of holdings spread across numerous sectors is good news in my opinion. I believe that the tech sector has good growth potential because of the increasingly technological nature of the world, meaning growing demand for those businesses. Plus, they earn good margins and the big tech players have strong balance sheets to protect and grow their businesses.

However, the one thing to keep in mind is that they are all businesses that are listed in the US.

If investors have an ASX share-focused portfolio, then the Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF can be an effective way to boost geographical diversification. But then again, it’s just invested in US shares, so investors wanting exposure to Europe or other markets may need to consider something else as well.

The post Own the Vanguard US Total Market Shares Index ETF (VTS)? Here’s what you’re invested in appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#FFF”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Broker gives its verdict on the BHP share price post-Q4 update
• Morgan Stanley tips 30% upside for the Whitehaven share price. Here’s why
• Why is the Core Lithium share price surging 7%?
• Why is the Firebrick Pharma share price blazing 28% on Wednesday?
• Are Telstra shares still worth holding for dividend income today?

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Johnson & Johnson and UnitedHealth Group and has recommended the following options: long January 2023 $200 calls on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple, short January 2023 $200 puts on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), short January 2023 $265 calls on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/lkO3C18

The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price is on form on Wednesday.

In afternoon trade, the mining giant’s shares are up 1.5% to $37.14.

Can the BHP share price keep rising?

As far as one leading broker is concerned, this could be the start of further gains for the BHP share price.

According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts have responded to BHP’s quarterly update by retaining its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $40.80.

This implies a potential return of 10% for investors over the next 12 months before dividends and approximately 20% including them (BHP’s final dividend of FY22 and interim dividend of FY23).

What did the broker say?

Goldman was pleased with BHP’s performance during the fourth quarter of FY 2022. It notes that strong iron ore and copper production offset softer metallurgical coal production.

The broker was also impressed with the Big Australian’s cost performance, particularly in comparison to its rivals.

It commented:

BHP reported a strong operational performance to end FY22 with an 8% QoQ increase in iron ore production (South Flank ramp-up) and a 25% lift in copper (rebound in grades at Escondida), offsetting a 16% drop in met coal production due to wet weather. Solid relative cost performance vs. peers continues with BHP achieving FY22 guidance for most assets. Realised price performance was mixed as usual, with better achieved met coal prices, but lower iron ore and copper price (incl negative provisional pricing) vs. GSe.

And while Goldman Sachs was a touch disappointed with some aspects of BHP’s guidance for FY 2023, the broker was pleased with its guidance for key operations.

Released guidance for FY23 production is on average 2-3% below GSe, but importantly the largest and highest margin assets such as Pilbara iron ore & Escondida copper were in-line or above our estimates. We forecast a c.5% increase in Cu Eq production in FY23 (continuing operations) despite the ramp-up of Spence sulphides and Nickel West continuing to underperform.

Overall, in light of the above, its attractive valuation, strong free cash flow, and big dividends, Goldman continues to see plenty of value in the BHP share price and reaffirms its buy rating.

The post Broker gives its verdict on the BHP share price post-Q4 update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• ‘We have clearly seen the peak’: Sector veteran gives earnings season warning for ASX mining shares
• What’s the outlook for the iron ore price in 2023?
• ASX 200 midday update: BHP’s Q4 update, JB Hi-Fi delivers record result
• BHP share price climbs amid record year for iron ore

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/YobT67W

The Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) share price is up 2.66% on Wednesday as ASX resources shares rally.

At the time of writing, the ASX coal miner’s shares are fetching $6.375 each after the company’s share price hit an 11-year high of $6.46 earlier in the session.

There has been no news released by the company today. However, the broader resources sector is up, with the S&P/ASX 200 Resources Index (ASX: XJR) ascending 2.17% so far today.

Top broker Morgan Stanley sees a potential 30% upside in the Whitehaven share price.

It has increased its 12-month share price target for Whitehaven from $7.75 to $8.50.

Let’s have a look at the reasoning behind its buy recommendation.

Broker tips 30% jump in the Whitehaven share price

According to reporting by the Australian Financial Review, a team of analysts at Morgan Stanley say Whitehaven is a buy for three reasons.

The analysts, led by Rahul Anand, firstly point out that Whitehaven had a strong fourth quarter in FY22.

They add this “showed perhaps some of the operational issues faced in the past few years and is finally starting to improve”.

The team also says there is “headroom available for resolutions for legal proceedings against previously approved Narrabri Stage 3 Extension, without facing significant future production disruptions”.

Finally, the analysts point to an estimated dividend yield for FY23 of 19% on their base case.

Whitehaven hits highest price since 2011

The Whitehaven Coal share price lifted to its highest point since 2011 today, hitting $6.46.

It gives the ASX coal miner a market capitalisation of almost $6.1 billion.

The post Morgan Stanley tips 30% upside for the Whitehaven share price. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#FFF”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Rocks and lasers: 2 ASX All Ords shares securing new multi-year highs on Wednesday
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• These ASX 200 coal shares are smashing 10-year highs on Tuesday
• Why Ansell, EML, Suncorp, and Whitehaven Coal shares are charging higher
• Could ASX coal shares be set for a boost?

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/cRFuG03

The Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) share price is surging today.

Shares in the ASX lithium explorer and producer closed yesterday at 93 cents and are at the time of writing trading for $1, up 7.2% in afternoon trade.

So, what’s piquing ASX investor interest?

Tesla indicates battery metals in short supply

It’s not just the Core Lithium share price charging higher today.

Most ASX lithium shares are outpacing the 1.8% intraday gains posted by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

This comes after Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) chair Robyn Denholm, who’s also the chair of the Tech Council of Australia, said Tesla’s demand for battery metals could soon outpace supplies.

According to Denholm:

I can’t think of a technology that is more important than lithium-ion batteries right now. The world cannot build battery cells fast enough. It may be the rate-limiting actor for tackling climate change. To meet the challenge of climate change, this entire industry needs to scale at sprinting pace.

As my Fool colleague Brooke Cooper reported, “Denholm has reportedly called on state and federal governments to grant more lithium projects the tick of approval and noted opportunities for partnerships between public and private capital”.

Core Lithium share price snapshot

The Core Lithium share price has been a stellar performer, with shares up 59% in 2022 and up a whopping 335% over the past 12 months.

For some context, the All Ordinaries is down 12% year to date.

The post Why is the Core Lithium share price surging 7%? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#FFF”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• ASX 200 lithium shares get busy amid dire supply call
• Why Tesla stock popped today
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• What’s in store for the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF in the next 12 months?

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 positions in and has recommended 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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/GVx3Cky

The Firebrick Pharma Ltd (ASX: FRE) share price has been on form on Wednesday.

At one stage today, the clinical-stage pharmaceutical developer’s shares were up 28% to 32 cents.

The Firebrick share price has since given back the majority of these gains but remains up 8% to 27 cents.

What’s going on with the Firebrick share price today?

Investors have been bidding the Firebrick share price higher today despite there being no news out of the company.

However, it worth noting that prior to today the company’s shares were trading 67% lower than their 52-week high.

So, with many beaten down ASX shares rebounding strongly today as investor sentiment improves, it isn’t overly surprising to see Firebrick having a positive session.

Investors buying today appear optimistic that the company’s Nasodine nasal spray still has a bright future despite being dealt a blow by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) earlier this month.

What happened to Nasodine?

Nasodine, a nasal spray intending to treat the common cold, was previously denied approval by the TGA.

The TGA then reaffirmed its stance earlier this month when the company received written advice from the regulator indicating that the section 60 request had resulted in confirmation of the original decision.

However, the company isn’t accepting this and is now seeking to overturn this decision by applying for an independent review through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).

Firebrick’s executive chairman, Dr Peter Molloy, commented:

The s60 decision was always a possibility and we will now proceed to the next step in the appeal process. We strongly believe that the existing clinical data satisfactorily establishes the efficacy of Nasodine in the treatment of the common cold and that the AAT review should lead to an earlier approval of Nasodine.

We believe that because overall cold severity was not designated as the “primary” endpoint, the TGA has discounted the results.

No timeframe has been given for when a decision on the appeal will be made.

The post Why is the Firebrick Pharma share price blazing 28% on Wednesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Why is the Core Lithium share price surging 7%?
• Are Telstra shares still worth holding for dividend income today?
• Why is the Nearmap share price gliding 9% higher today?
• Up 14% in a month, is the Resmed share price just getting started?
• Why Allegiance Coal, LiveHire, NIB, and Pendal shares are dropping

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/ENh79rb

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares have been a staple of the ASX dividend investors‘ portfolio for decades now. This blue chip telco of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has a long history of paying out large and fully franked dividend payments to shareholders.

But the Telstra share price has not been as kind to investors in recent years. Today, the telco’s shares are going for $3.95 each at the time of writing. That’s basically the same price that investors could have bought in for back in mid-2017. In fact, the Telstra share price has gone backwards by 3.4% over the past five years. The telco is also down almost 6% in 2022 thus far.

So are Telstra shares still worth buying for dividend income today?

Well, let’s check out what kind of dividend yield one could expect from the company today. So Telstra has consistently paid out an annual total of 16 cents per share in fully franked dividends every year since 2019. Its most recent dividend was the interim payment of 8 cents per share that investors received back on 1 April.

So as Telstra has paid out 16 cents in dividends per share over the past 12 months, its shares currently have a trailing dividend yield of 4.04% on the current pricing. That grosses up to 5.77% with the value of those full franking credits.

Are Telstra shares a buy for dividend income?

A yield of 4.04% is objectively solid, although it’s not as high as many other ASX blue chip shares. For example, three out of the four major ASX banks offer higher trailing dividend yields than Telstra today. As do mining giants like Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP).

However, Telstra’s current dividend yield is still higher than many other ASX blue chip shares. These include Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) and Transurban Group (ASX: TCL).

But still, income investors could arguably do worse than Telstra shares today. But perhaps it is the telco’s share price itself that offers the most potential return for investors. As my Fool colleague Tristan covered last week, two ASX brokers have buy ratings on the telco right now. They are Ord Minnet and Morgan Stanley.

Ord Minnet currently has a 12-month share price target of $4.65 on Telstra shares. Morgan Stanley has a similar view, with a target of $4.60. These targets represent a potential upside of 17% and 16% respectively from where the company’s shares sit today. Also worth noting is how both brokers anticipate a continuation of Telstra’s 16 cents per share dividend into FY2023.

So if these brokers are to be believed, Telstra is a buy today for both healthy dividend income and the possibility of significant share price gains over the coming year. No doubt that will be music to the ears of shareholders. But we shall just have to wait and see what happens to be sure.

At the current Telstra share price, this ASX 200 telco has a market capitalisation of $45.6 billion.

The post Are Telstra shares still worth holding for dividend income today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• What market prediction sent the Magellan share price spiking 9% today?
• ASX 200 midday update: Megaport rockets, Allkem’s update, tech shares rally
• Why is the Novonix share price launching 5% higher today?
• The only certainty in uncertain times: expert
• ‘Unusually cheap’: ASX experts call out massive buying opportunity

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Telstra Corporation Limited. 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 COLESGROUP DEF SET, Telstra Corporation Limited, and Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/LvYghke

The Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA) share price is surging into the green today.

At the time of writing, the share is trading more than 9% higher at $1.26 apiece on no news.

In broad market moves, the S&P/ASX All Technology index (ASX: XTX) is also lifting around 4% into the green on Wednesday.

What’s up with the Nearmap share price?

ASX tech shares have caught a bid today as yields on long-dated US Treasuries nudge back underneath 3%.

The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note is at 2.90% at the time of writing, 20 basis points down from the previous high of 3.1% on 8 July.

The pricing of the ASX tech basket is inversely related to these yields. An increase in the US 10yr yield will cause tech shares to de-rate, and vice versa.

This relationship can be seen on the chart below, noting the cross between growth and yields in March/April.

This backdrop is important to understand when analysing the Nearmap share price and its pathway to date.

Nearmap is highly correlated to the tech sector, as seen below. It therefore displays the same inverse characteristics to the US 10-year yield as the ASX tech benchmark.

Moreover, portfolio managers often talk in terms of ‘beta’ regarding a stock’s returns.

In this case, the term beta refers to the tightness between the price returns of a share and a benchmark (eg. the XTX) move together.

Nearmap has a 2-year equity beta of 1.89 to the tech index according to Refinitiv Eikon data. A score above 1 is considered high.

In fact, this relationship is observed on the chart above, with both instruments tracking each other in striking similarity.

With that in mind, it’s unsurprising to see Nearmap rallying to 9% higher on no news today. This tends to be the case in high beta stocks, they benefit – and suffer – greatly from movements in the wider sector.

In the last 12 months, the Nearmap share price has slipped 40% into the red, whereas the ASX tech sector is down 29%.

The post Why is the Nearmap share price gliding 9% higher today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#FFF”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Why did the Nearmap share price tumble 17% in June?
• Own Nearmap shares? Here’s how much cash the company has up its sleeves
• This is what I’d do with these 3 battered ASX shares: fund manager

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 Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/hntZMHu

The ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD) share price has been a solid gainer this past month of trade, up almost 14% in that time.

The company’s shares have travelled from a low of $27.63 apiece on 25 May to their current price of $32.34 a share.

Meanwhile, healthcare shares are rebounding in June-July, with the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) up 13% in a month as well. The year-to-date performances of both Resmed and the index are charted below:

Has the Resmed share price got more?

The broker Morgans is bullish on the Resmed share price and has a price target of $37.95.

In a recent note, the broker said its long-term view on the healthcare player is positive, despite market volatility.

It made note of Resmed’s digital platform that addresses kinks along the “healthcare value chain” in its assessment.

Meanwhile, 64% of brokers rate Resmed as a buy right now, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. The remainder say it’s a hold, with no sell ratings on the share.

The consensus price target from this list is $33.93, a fraction above its current share price.

Sector-wise, healthcare shares could catch further bids in FY23 if recent trends prevail.

Researchers at Deloitte recently noted a number of catalysts are pushing the “clinical, financial, and operational transformation” of health care – COVID-19 potentially being one of these.

Moreover, the sector is projected to deliver an average earnings per share (EPS) growth of 30% in the second half of CY2022, according to Bloomberg data.

In the past 12 months, the Resmed share price is down 5.7%, falling just over 9% this year to date.

The post Up 14% in a month, is the Resmed share price just getting started? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• 3 blue chip ASX 200 shares experts say are buys
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• 3 ASX shares to buy in a sector suddenly soaring this month: expert
• Experts name 2 ASX growth shares for investors to buy now
• Broker names 2 more blue chip ASX 200 shares to buy in July

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

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/ofmvF1t

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having a very strong day on Wednesday. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 1.5% to 6,751 points.

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

Allegiance Coal Ltd (ASX: AHQ)

The Allegiance Coal share price has continued its decline and is down a further 22% to 14 cents. Investors have been selling off this coal miner’s shares this week following the release of a very disappointing update. As Allegiance Coal has been unable to successfully ramp up production to previous expectations, it has been left in a difficult position financially. In order to keep operating, the company has established a $5 million equity facility.

LiveHire Ltd (ASX: LVH)

The LiveHire share price is down 5% to 38 cents. This morning this talent technology company released its quarterly update and reported a 10% increase in annual recurring revenue to $5.7 million. This was offset by a 22% increase in quarterly cash burn to ~$2 million. This leaves LiveHire with a precariously low cash balance of just $7.3 million, down 49% year on year.

NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF)

The NIB share price is down almost 3% to $7.31. This is despite there being no news out of the private health insurer. However, it is possible that it has been impacted by some investors rotating out of lower risk defensive shares and back into higher risk options today.

Pendal Group Ltd (ASX: PDL)

The Pendal share price is down over 2% to $4.33. This may have been driven by profit taking after some strong gains in recent days. This has been driven by speculation and then confirmation that the company has received another takeover proposal from Perpetual Limited (ASX: PPT). Talks are ongoing and no deal has been reached.

The post Why Allegiance Coal, LiveHire, NIB, and Pendal shares are dropping appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• ASX 200 midday update: Megaport rockets, Allkem’s update, tech shares rally
• Pendal share price slides amid ‘potential transaction’
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• Why Allegiance Coal, Hub24, Suncorp, and WiseTech shares are dropping
• Why are Pendal shares in a trading halt?

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 recommended NIB Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/lSXAQ3d

The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is leaping 1.6% higher on Wednesday, and plenty of shares are making the most of it. In fact, two have taken off to trade at their highest points in years.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s driving these ASX All Ords shares to long-forgotten heights today.

2 ASX All Ords shares smashing multi-year highs

Silex Systems Ltd (ASX: SLX)

The share price of Aussie tech company Silex Systems hit a nine-year high on Wednesday, leaping to $3.36 in intraday trade.

That represents a 12% gain and came on the back of news of a milestone for the company’s Zero-Spin Silicon project.

A stage 3 demonstration plant has been constructed to verify the commercial production capability for the quantum computing material.

The production technology for the silicon is based on a variant of the company’s Silex laser isotope separation platform technology.

Silex Solutions expects to begin selling small amounts of Zero-Spin Silicon next year.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

Meanwhile, fellow ASX All Ords share Whitehaven Coal has surged to yet another multi-year high. The stock was swapping hands for $6.46 in intraday trade today – its highest point since 2011.

It might not come as any surprise, then, that coal prices lifted once more overnight. Thermal coal futures rose 0.9% to reach US$399.65 in Tuesday trade.

The Whitehaven Coal share price has been on a tear in 2022, gaining 130% year to date. Meanwhile, the black rock’s value has surged amid sanctions on Russian commodities resulting from the nation’s invasion of Ukraine.

The ASX All Ords coal producer announced earlier this week it expects to report $3 billion of earnings for financial year 2022. For comparison, the company brought in $200 million in earnings last financial year.

The post Rocks and lasers: 2 ASX All Ords shares securing new multi-year highs on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#FFF”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• These ASX 200 coal shares are smashing 10-year highs on Tuesday
• Why Ansell, EML, Suncorp, and Whitehaven Coal shares are charging higher
• Could ASX coal shares be set for a boost?
• 11-year high: Whitehaven share price surges 8% on record $3b profit

Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper 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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/bQj2fkS