Tag: Motley Fool

  • Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Monday

    A women throws her paperwork in the air with a wry smile on her face.A women throws her paperwork in the air with a wry smile on her face.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is kicking off the week with another day in the green so far this Monday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is up by a robust 0.48% at just over 7,520 points. 

    But let’s dip a little deeper into these gains and check out the ASX 200 shares topping the share market’s volume charts, according to investing.com.

    The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Monday

    Liontown Resources Limited (ASX: LTR)

    Battery metals company Liontown is our first share of the day. This Monday has seen a notable 15.41 million Liontown shares bought and sold on the markets thus far. There’s been no major news out from Liontown itself. However, as my Fool colleague Brooke covered earlier, this ASX 200 company has seen some impressive moves on the markets regardless. Liontown hit a new all-time high of $2.19 today. It’s currently up 9% at $2.12 a share. This big push upwards is almost certainly behind the elevated trading volumes we are seeing.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    ASX 200 lithium producer Pilbara is next up today. So far, a sizeable 18.22 Pilbara Minerals shares have been traded on the share market. Again, this doesn’t seem to be the result of anything the company has put out today. Rather a big share price move looks to be the culprit. The Pilbara share price is currently up a healthy 5.98% at $3.64 a share. No wonder we are seeing a boatload of Pilbara shares in new hands.

    AVZ Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ)

    Another ASX 200 lithium share in AVZ is our final company to take a look at this Monday. So far today, a hefty 29.76 million AVZ shares have swapped hands as it currently stands. To continue the trend we are seeing today, it again seems like AVZ is the beneficiary of yet another upward share price movement. In this case, the AVZ share price has gained a more muted 1.92% at $1.32 a share after rising as high as $1.36 earlier this morning.

    The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Monday 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. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    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 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Game on: Why the PointsBet (ASX:PBH) share price is zipping higher today

    A group of men in the office celebrate after winning big.A group of men in the office celebrate after winning big.

    The PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) share price looks set to finish in positive territory at the close of Monday’s trade. This comes after the company announced an update in regards to its wholly-owned subsidiary, PointsBet Canada Operations 1 Inc (PointsBet).

    As the time of writing, the sports betting company’s shares are up 3.03% to $3.74.

    PointsBet gets in on the Ontario action

    Investors appear pleased with the company’s latest news, bumping up PointsBet shares.

    In its release, PointsBet advised that it has launched its proprietary iGaming and sportsbook operations in Ontario, Canada.

    Furthermore, the company has also taken its first bet, bringing its online casino product to the state.

    Located in east-central Canada, Ontario is the country’s most populous province and second largest geographically. It is home to Ottawa, Canada’s capital, with over 14.8 million people and a host of professional sports teams. This includes the famous Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), Toronto Raptors (NBA) and Toronto Blue Jays (MLB).

    PointsBet Canada CEO, Scott Vanderwel touched on the milestone achievement, saying:

    Today is a great day for Ontario sports fans! On behalf of the entire PointsBet Canada team, I’d like to share how thrilled we are to see the province’s sports wagering market officially open. Just moments after 12:00am local time this morning, PointsBet Canada became one of the first private sportsbooks to take a legal wager.

    Over the past few months, our team has been scaling and focused on building partnerships with the athletes, teams, and organizations that matter to Canadians. We know our customers will appreciate our unmatched in-play betting, great odds, depth of offering, and local Canadian support teams ready to assist when they need it. We will offer an unrivalled experience to sports bettors and gaming enthusiasts.

    PointsBet share price snapshot

    Despite edging higher on Monday, the PointsBet share price has tumbled by 70% over the last 12 months.

    These losses have mostly come in 2022 following investor concerns about the company’s valuation and high marketing costs. Year to date, PointsBet shares are down 47%.

    Based on today’s price, the company commands a market capitalisation of roughly $982.43 million.

    The post Game on: Why the PointsBet (ASX:PBH) share price is zipping higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider PointsBet, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and PointsBet 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 are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • The Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC) share price just hit a 10-year high!

    Happy woman miner with her thumb up signalling Wyloo's commitment to back IGO's takeover of Western Areas nickel

    Happy woman miner with her thumb up signalling Wyloo's commitment to back IGO's takeover of Western Areas nickelThe S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is enjoying a solid start to the week so far this Monday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is up a healthy 0.49% at just over 7,530 points. But that’s nothing against the Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) share price. 

    Lynas shares are currently up a pleasing 2.61% at $11.38. What’s more, this company hit a new 52-week high of $11.59 a share earlier in today’s trading session. Not only is $11.59 a new 52-week high, but it’s also the highest Lynas shares have traded at since March of 2012 – almost exactly a decade ago.

    Lynas’ performance over the last few years has been quite extraordinary. The company has now gained more than 76% over just the past six months alone. Over the past year, Lynas is up almost 81%. It gets better. since the lows of March 2020, the company has appreciated by more than 800%. And over the past five years, Lynas shares have given investors a whopping 1,190% return.

    So what might be behind today’s share price move?

    Why is the Lynas share price at a decade high?

    Well, it’s not entirely clear. There have n;t been any announcements out of Lynas itself. Perhaps investors, buoyed by the buying pressure in the market, are sending Lynas shares higher in a bout of enthusiasm. Investors have been very excited over companies that produce green metals, which include the rare earths like neodymium that Lynas produces. In addition to Lynas, other companies in this space have also seen some pretty spectacular gains in recent months. These include Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT), Liontown Resources Limited (ASX: LTR)Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) and AVZ Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ).

    We also got the news last week that the US government and the Australian government are working together to fund secure supply chains of critical minerals like lithium, vanadium, neodymium and praseodymium. The latter two minerals are both rare earths that Lynas produces. Thus, this agreement could prove to be beneficial to Lynas in coming months and years.

    Whatever the reason why Lynas shares are shooting higher today, there is no doubt a legion of very happy shareholders watching on right now.

    At the current Lynas Rare Earths share price, this ASX 200 share has a market capitalisation of $10.01 billion.

    The post The Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC) share price just hit a 10-year high! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Lynas Rare Earths right now?

    Before you consider Lynas Rare Earths, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Lynas Rare Earths 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 are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    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 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why is the Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) share price slipping today?

    ASX shares investor looking incredulously at phoneASX shares investor looking incredulously at phone

    The Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ) share price is having a tough day on the market.

    The bank’s shares are currently swapping hands at $8.255, a 2.88% fall. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 0.43% at the time of writing.

    So what is causing the company’s shares to drop today?

    Broker downgrades

    The Bank of Queensland share price could be struggling due to two recent broker downgrades.

    Today, Ord Minnett downgraded the bank’s shares to a hold rating. And, on Friday, Macquarie downgraded BOQ shares to a neutral rating from outperform. Macquarie also cut the price target on the bank to $9.

    Looking at the wider market, the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) is also in the red today, down 0.14%.

    Bank shares are a mixed bag on the ASX today. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price has slipped 0.59% at the time of writing. The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) is 0.22% lower and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) is down 0.62%. However, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) is up 0.68%, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price is edging 0.08% in the green, and Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) is flat at the time of writing.

    In today’s news, Bank of Queensland has selected Honey Insurance to offer home insurance to its 400,000 customers. In a release cited by Insurance Business Australia, the companies said:

    Together BOQ and Honey have created a unique and innovative offering focussed on transforming how customers buy insurance and solving pain points by making the experience seamless.

    Bank of Queensland share price snapshot

    The Bank of Queensland share price is up 2% year to date but has lost nearly 5% in the past 12 months. In the last month, it has gained almost 6% although it has fallen 2% in a week.

    In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has returned more than 10% in the past year.

    The banking share has a market capitalisation of about $5.3 billion based on the current share price.

    The post Why is the Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) share price slipping today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bank of Queensland right now?

    Before you consider Bank of Queensland , you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Bank of Queensland 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 are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited and Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • This ASX energy share just hit the boards at double its IPO price

    Energy fans, rejoice. The ASX has welcomed a new oil and gas explorer today and its shares are roaring past its initial public offering (IPO) price.

    After offering shares in the company for 20 cents under its prospectus, the Top End Energy Ltd (ASX: TEE) share price has hit the ground running.

    The company’s stock is currently swapping hands for 36.5 cents apiece – representing an 82.5% gain on its float.

    However, that’s far from the highest the Top End Energy share price has been today. In fact, its first open saw it trading at 40 cents.

    Additionally, at its current record high, it had surged to 41 cents. That’s right, at one point this afternoon the ASX newbie was boasting a 105% gain.

    So, what’s got the market so excited about the energy commodity explorer? Let’s take a look.

    ASX energy newbie’s shares float at double their IPO price

    Top End Energy hit the ASX at 1pm on Monday at double its IPO offer price. The company raised $6.4 million in its IPO by issuing 32 million shares for 20 cents apiece.

    Top End Energy is focused on its projects in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

    It holds a hydrocarbon permit for Queensland’s ATP 1069, named the Tri-Star Project.

    It’s also progressing permits for a 50% interest in 30 oil and gas permit applications – dubbed the TG Project – in the Northern Territory, covering more than 160,000 square kilometres.

    Top End Energy acquired the TG Project from McKam, a private company that has been identifying, exploring, and developing resources for more than 30 years.

    The project will be in joint venture with McKam. Additionally, McKam holds a 22.2% stake in Top End Energy.

    The company intends to explore for gas and oil, as well as other marketable products such as helium and hydrogen. Though, its major goal is to reach net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

    To get there, it plans to explore renewable energy, carbon abatement and sequestration projects, and, where necessary, will purchase carbon credits.

    Additionally, it will look into developing complimentary renewable energy revenue streams in the vicinity of its core assets. These could include wind, solar, biomass, and biogas.

    It expects to factor in costs of offsetting emissions in future exploration and development budgets.

    Assuming its stock floated on the ASX at its IPO price, the company expected a fully-diluted market capitalisation of approximately $24 million with around 119.9 million shares outstanding.

    At its current share price, the company has a fully-diluted market capitalisation of around $43 million.

    The post This ASX energy share just hit the boards at double its IPO price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Top End Energy right now?

    Before you consider Top End Energy, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Top End Energy 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 are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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  • Why is the Novonix (ASX:NVX) share price charging 6% higher?

    green fully charged battery symbol surrounded by green charge lights

    green fully charged battery symbol surrounded by green charge lights

    The Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX) share price has started the week in a positive fashion.

    In afternoon trade, the battery technology company’s shares are up over 6% to $6.82.

    Why is the Novonix share price charging higher?

    Investors appear to have been bidding the Novonix share price higher today in response to the release of an announcement out of Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA).

    According to the release, with the help of scientists from Novonix, the lithium developer has made lithium hydroxide from its Authier spodumene product that is the same quality as commercial battery-grade material.

    The release notes that Novonix’s scientists incorporated the sample into a common lithium battery cathode compound precursor (NMC622), which was used to make lithium‐ion coin half‐cells.

    Positively, the results showed the discharge capacity of Sayona’s hydroxide‐based cathode cells was the same as benchmark cathode cells using currently available commercial lithium hydroxide.

    Is it too late to invest?

    Despite today’s gain, the Novonix share price is still down by over a third since the start of the year.

    Unfortunately, though, the team at Morgans don’t believe the Novonix share price has fallen enough to put it in the buy zone.

    Morgans currently has a neutral rating and $4.88 price target on its shares, which suggests potential downside of approximately 28%.

    The post Why is the Novonix (ASX:NVX) share price charging 6% higher? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Novonix, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Novonix 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 are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s what $10,000 invested in CSL shares 5 years ago looks like now

    A woman with strawberry blonde hair has a huge smile on her face and fist pumps the air having seen good news on her phone.A woman with strawberry blonde hair has a huge smile on her face and fist pumps the air having seen good news on her phone.

    Regardless of travelling lower in 2022, the CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price has rocketed over the past five years.

    In fact, the biotherapeutics company’s shares have more than doubled in value, representing stable long-term growth.

    In February 2020, CSL shares reached an all-time high of $342.75 before retreating. While the company’s shares have been rangebound ever since, they are still some way off reaching uncharted territory.

    Nonetheless, let’s rewind the clock and see how much an investor would have made if they had invested $10,000 in CSL shares five years ago.

    How much would your initial investment be worth now?

    If you spent $10,000 on CSL shares exactly five years ago, you would have bought them for $126.49 each. The long-term investment would have given you approximately 79 shares without reinvesting the dividends.

    At the time of writing, CSL shares are swapping hands for $268.53.

    That means that those 79 shares would be worth $21,213.87 right now.

    In percentage terms, the initial investment implies a return of about 112% or an average return of 16.23% per year.

    On the other hand, if you had invested the same amount in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), it would be worth $12,833.38.

    Going back to percentages, this equates to a gain of roughly 28% or a yearly average of 5.02% across a five-year period.

    What about CSL’s dividends?

    From 2017 to halfway through 2022, CSL has made a total of 11 biannual dividend payments to shareholders.

    Its most recent dividend distribution was its second-highest interim dividend declared by the board, despite COVID-19 disruptions.

    Adding those 11 dividend payments gives us a total amount of $13.99 per share. Calculating the number of shares owned against the dividend payments gives us a figure of $1,105.21.

    When putting both the initial investment gains and dividend distribution, an investor would have roughly $22,319.08 or $12,319.08 profit.

    As you can see, investing in CSL would have quadrupled what you would have gotten from investing in the ASX 200 ($12,319.08 vs. $2,833.38).

    CSL share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the CSL share price has travelled 2% higher but is down almost 8% year to date.

    CSL has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 33.54 and commands a market capitalisation of roughly $129.12 billion.

    The post Here’s what $10,000 invested in CSL shares 5 years ago looks like now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider CSL, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and CSL 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 are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended CSL Ltd. 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Is the Westpac share price the best value of the big four banks?

    Calculator on top of Australian 4100 notes and next to Australian gold coins.Calculator on top of Australian 4100 notes and next to Australian gold coins.

    Shares in Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) are rangebound today and now trade flat at $24.05 apiece.

    The bank has whipsawed higher in 2022 and now trades at 3-month highs after sinking to its yearly lows back in February.

    Zooming out, over the past 5 years, Westpac has wormed its way down to trade at its near-lowest levels in that time, separating March 2020 market activity from the question.

    In that time, shareholders have seen their holdings evaporate by around 30% after failing to recover to pre-pandemic highs. The spread of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) above Westpac is now abundantly clear, and widening.

    TradingView Chart

    Westpac – best value or not?

    According to analysts at JP Morgan, Westpac’s outlook is “highly uncertain” and its revenue remains under pressure due to “compression on mortgage margins”.

    “Westpac’s FY24 cost plan ($8 billion target ex Specialist) is highly ambitious given it requires an approximate 20% reduction from the FY21 cost base, but we expect the market to remain skeptical on achieving this,” the broker said in a note.

    “Westpac has a solid capital surplus but this is not dissimilar to peers and collective provision coverage is now at the bottom end of the peer range,” it added, noting the investment proposition appears equally as bottom-heavy.

    “In this context, and given our long-term concerns about the sustainability of mortgage margins across the industry (where WBC has a heavy exposure) we see the risk/reward as unattractive”.

    Judging from that perspective, there might be better picks. However, not everyone agrees. Over 29% of analysts covering the bank rate it a buy right now, whereas 53% are neutral, according to Bloomberg data (although many with investment banking relationships as well).

    Meanwhile, Bloomberg Intelligence banking analysts Matt Ingram and Jack Baxter commented last month that Westpac’s “strong balance sheet supports [a] big buyback”.

    “Westpac’s 2022 distribution may once again top A$8 billion, supported by A$3.8 billion surplus capital as of December 31, decent profit and A$1.3 billion from divestments,” the pair wrote.

    They too identify potential issues with Westpac’s competitiveness in the mortgage segment.

    “Westpac’s delinquent loans fell to 0.58% of total exposure at December 31, still well above peers. Its 57% coverage of overdue and impaired loans is below peers, but as the loans are largely secured with excellent collateral, this didn’t require significant provisions,” each commented.

    Westpac’s share price is still 2% in the red over the past 12 months even after spiking around 13% this year to date.

    The post Is the Westpac share price the best value of the big four banks? 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. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    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 recommended Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • 3 things about Apple that smart investors know

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

    man using laptop happy at rising share price

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

    Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has been one of the best-performing companies in the last two decades. The excellent performance has translated into its market capitalization nearing an astounding $3 trillion. 

    Savvy investors who follow Apple probably know these three things about the business: The iPhone continues to drive top-line growth. Apple has a robust and growing services segment. And finally, Apple has a history of successful innovation. Let’s look at each in greater detailer below. 

    1. The iPhone is still driving revenue 

    The iPhone is arguably the most successful product of all time. Launched over a decade ago, new iterations are driving hundreds of billions in sales for Apple. In its most recent quarter ending Dec. 25, Apple’s iPhone sales totaled $72 billion, up from $66 billion during the same quarter the year before. To put that figure into context, Apple’s overall sales were $124 billion in the quarter. Apple’s most recent launch, the iPhone 13, came with the latest 5G technology expected to drive consumers to upgrade older versions over the next couple of years.

    The iPhone propels the company’s flywheel and is an attractive entry point for consumers into Apple’s ecosystem. Once a user adopts an iPhone as their phone of choice, they are less likely to switch to a new brand due to Apple’s strong customer retention.

    That has undoubtedly helped Apple grow revenue from $229 billion in 2017 to $366 billion in 2021. Shareholders would be thrilled if Apple could match or beat that growth over the next four years. The top-line growth flowed to operating income increases from $61 billion to $109 billion in that same time. Increasing sales by over $130 billion in four years is a difficult feat, but boosting operating income by $48 billion raises the bar further.

    2. The rise of the services segment 

    Over the last two decades, Apple has built a robust and growing services segment. The business features exciting products like Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud, etc. Consumers have liked the offering that compliments an iPhone and improves the ownership experience. For instance, an iPhone user with an Apple Music subscription can create a custom music playlist and start playback through a voice command without touching the phone.

    Apple was the first streaming content service to capture the best picture award at the Oscars for Coda. The acclaim could attract a new swatch of subscribers to Apple TV+, a boon to an already robust services business.  

    The segments’ revenue increased to $20 billion in the fourth quarter, up from $16 billion in the same quarter the year before. What’s more, the services segment has significantly higher profit margins than products. Indeed, in Q4, the gross profit margin in the services segment was 72.4%, meaningfully higher than the 38.4% of product sales. For that reason, investors are encouraged by the growth of the more profitable segment over the years. 

    3. History of innovation 

    Apple is, by no stretch of the imagination, a one-hit-wonder. The company has a lengthy history of successful innovation. The iPhone is among a wide portfolio of leading-edge technology Apple has developed. Those hits include the iPad, iMac, iPod, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Apple’s innovation is not limited to products, and it counts several famous services to its name, including the App Store, iTunes, Siri, Apple Music, Apple TV+, IOS, and more. 

    The success shows how Apple can keep creating wildly popular products and services to drive sales and profits, delivering consistent shareholder returns in the long run. 

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

    The post 3 things about Apple that smart investors know appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Apple , you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Apple 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 are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Parkev Tatevosian owns Apple. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Apple. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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

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  • Considering Macquarie shares? Here’s why this expert is predicting a ‘cracker result’

    a man holds a firework sparkler in both hands as a shower of sparkly confetti falls from the sky around him as he smiles and closes his eyes in a celebratory scene.a man holds a firework sparkler in both hands as a shower of sparkly confetti falls from the sky around him as he smiles and closes his eyes in a celebratory scene.

    Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) shareholders could be in for some positive news if one expert is on the money.

    The Macquarie share price is flat today, currently trading at $206. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) is down 0.12% at the time of writing.

    So why is this expert so optimistic about Macquarie?

    Energy transition

    Macquarie Group stands out to WaveStone Capital principal and portfolio manager Raaz Bhuyan. In an interview with livewire, he said the company has done an “incredible job” building a business around infrastructure. More recently, he highlighted Macquarie has put in a lot of work on the energy transition. He added:

    With what’s going on with Europe with the Ukraine war, we think Macquarie’s going to have a cracker result because of what’s happened to gas prices in Europe and the US at their March year-end. 

    Bhuyan also rates the company’s management team and tenure of its key executives. He commented:

    And they have positioned themselves really, really well for the next five or 10 years, as we’ve seen this massive growth in funds under management in alternative assets. So they’ve become the biggest fund manager in alternative assets in the world.

    Marcus Today portfolio manager Ben O’Leary recently named Macquarie as a stock he would hold if the market closed tomorrow for four years. Speaking to my Foolish colleague Tony, he said “they just have a track record of making money in almost any environment”.

    Macquarie Group has recently modified its portfolio in response to the Ukraine crisis to capitalise on commodity market gains.

    Macquarie share price snapshot

    The Macquarie share price has rocketed 35% in the past year while it is up 0.13% year to date.

    In contrast, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has returned about 10% in the past year.

    Macquarie Group has a market capitalisation of about $79 billion based on its current share price

    The post Considering Macquarie shares? Here’s why this expert is predicting a ‘cracker result’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Macquarie , you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Macquarie 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 are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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 Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/20utfw6