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Today marks a big day for AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL), but market watchers might not notice the occasion reflected in the company’s share price.

Though, that doesn’t make it any less significant. Indeed, today might be etched into AGL’s history as the day it took a major step towards shutting down its coal-fired power operations.

At the time of writing, the AGL share price is $7.74, 0.26% higher than its previous close.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is trading in the red this morning, having slipped 0.07%.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening with the iconic energy producer and supplier today.

AGL takes major step away from coal

The AGL share price is lower on Friday amid the closure of a unit at the company’s Liddell power station in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley.

The unit is the first of four to go. The remainder are set to be shut down next April after supporting NSW’s energy grid through the summer months.

“We announced the retirement of Liddell in 2015 and, seven years later, we are pleased to be in a position to begin the orderly and responsible closure and transition of the power station in line with our climate commitments,” said AGL chief operating officer Markus Brokhof.

After Liddell’s more than 50-year stint in coal-fired power, the site will become part of AGL’s Hunter Energy Hub.

“We’re committed to seeing this site continue its legacy as the backbone of the NSW electricity grid as we repurpose the infrastructure to continue delivering energy through the next phase of its life,” said Brokhof.

“We are excited about our clean energy plans in the Hunter region, including grid-scale battery, solar thermal storage, wind, hydrogen, and pumped hydro projects.”

The company recently entered an agreement with Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)’s green energy leg, Fortescue Future Industries, to explore a potential green hydrogen facility for the site.

AGL was also recently given the thumbs up by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment to put a 500-megawatt, two gigawatt-hour grid-scale battery at the power station.

Closing the unit will see AGL’s annual greenhouse gas emissions fall by an amount equivalent to removing around 400,000 cars from Australia’s roads.

The unit’s closure comes weeks after AGL announced it’s planning to shut its other coal-fired operations earlier than previously anticipated. AGL’s Bayswater and Loy Yang A power stations will close in 2033 and 2045 respectively.

Additionally, AGL is continuing to gear up to split into AGL Australia and Accel Energy.

Following the demerger, all the company’s thermal sites and future energy hubs will be in the hands of Accel Energy.

AGL share price snapshot

The AGL share price has been outperforming the market in 2022 so far.

It has gained 22% since the start of this year. In that same time, the ASX 200 has slumped by 1%.

Though, the company’s share price has fallen 20% since this time last year. That leaves it underperforming the benchmark by nearly 30% over the last 12 months.

The post Own AGL shares? Here’s why today is a momentous day appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Own AGL shares? Your dividend arrives today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• The AGL (ASX:AGL) share price has jumped 5% in a week. What’s been happening?
• Down 8% since February, is the AGL (ASX:AGL) share price a buy?
• Own AGL shares? Here’s why the company has been making news this week

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 Bruce Jackson.

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The Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price isn’t having a great time of it so far this Friday. At the time of writing, Qantas shares have opened down by around 0.58% at $5.19. That’s a long way from this company’s COVID lows of 2020 ($2.36 a share), but still well off the airline’s 52-week high of $5.97 a share. Sadly, it’s also a long way from Qantas’ pre-COVID highs of over $7 a share.

But investors know Qantas, as an ASX 200 travel share, has had a rough trot over the past two years or so. Saying that, it has also been a market beater over 2022 so far, if only just. Qantas remains up by 0.58% over the year to date. In contrast, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) remains in the red with a loss of 1.45% over the same period.

So now that we’re well into 2022, many investors might be wondering what the current dividend yield for Qantas shares is. After all, Qantas used to be known as a solid dividend share before the pandemic.

Qantas shares: What’s the dividend yield?

Well, unfortunately, some investors might find the answer to this question is depressingly short. Qantas is not currently an ASX dividend share, since it hasn’t doled out a shareholder payment since September 2019. Thus, Qantas shares do not currently have a dividend yield.

As we covered earlier this week, Qantas’ books are yet to return to the black following the massive disruption that COVID had on its business model. In fact, during Qantas’ last earnings report – the half-year earnings delivered in February covering the six months to 31 December 2021 – the airline reported an underlying loss before tax of $1.28 billion.

For a company to fund a dividend, conventional wisdom dictates that it needs to be bringing in healthy profits first. Dividends are funded from profits after all. And Qantas just isn’t back there yet.

At the current Qantas share price, this ASX 200 travel share has a market capitalisation of $9.83 billion, but with a dividend yield of 0%.

The post What is the current dividend yield for Qantas shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ‘Key to our future’: What’s going on with the Qantas share price today?
• Why is the Qantas share price lifting today?
• Expert reveals 3 ASX shares to watch following tonight’s federal budget
• Is Qantas an ASX dividend share?
• What was the highest ever Qantas share price?

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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The Argosy Minerals Ltd (ASX: AGY) share price is leaping higher, up 8.5% in early trade.

Argosy shares closed yesterday at 47 cents and are currently trading for 51 cents.

Below we look at the progress update highlights from the ASX lithium miner’s Rincon Lithium Project in Argentina.

What progress was announced?

The Argosy Minerals share price is storming higher after the miner reported that 67% of the work has been completed on its modular 2,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) lithium carbonate production operation at Rincon.

Argosy said it’s on track to commence production of 99.5% battery quality lithium carbonate product from mid-2022.

The design work for the project has been fully completed, while 70% of the required construction work is finished.

Most of the onus in moving towards production now falls on plant commissioning works. That includes acquiring the necessary raw materials and getting the right workforce in place and trained. Argosy said this phase is now 13% complete.

Commenting on the progress, Argosy managing director, Jerko Zuvela said:

The company’s Puna operations team are making significant progress… as we move closer to commencing the 2,000tpa lithium carbonate production operations.

The lithium market remains very positive and lithium carbonate prices are maintaining record highs, which is providing great interest in our project and especially our product, noting our Rincon Lithium Project will become the next commercial production operation.

Argosy’s transformation into a cashflow generator is nearing, whilst also progressing toward the next stage 12,000tpa scale operations. We look forward to a significant near-term growth phase from our operations this year and beyond.

Argosy Minerals share price snapshot

The Argosy Minerals share price has been a standout performer on the ASX.

Over the past 12 months, Argosy shares have gained an eye-popping 439%, tromping the 10% gains posted by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) over that same period.

So far in 2022 the Argosy Minerals share price is up 44%.

The post Here’s why lithium miner Argosy Minerals’ (ASX:AGY) share price is leaping 9% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Argosy Minerals, Block, Core Lithium, and Mineral Resources are storming higher
• Up 250% in a year, why the Argosy Minerals (ASX:AGY) share price is charging higher today
• Why Argosy Minerals, De Grey, Whitehaven, and Woodside shares are racing higher
• ‘Significant milestone achieved’: Argosy (ASX:AGY) share price accelerates on Rincon update

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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The Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG) share price won’t be going anywhere on Friday.

This morning the property listings company requested a trading halt.

Why is the Domain share price in a trading halt?

The Domain share price was placed in a trading halt this morning so the company could launch an equity raising to fund a major acquisition.

According to the release, Domain has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of Realbase for an enterprise value of $180 million, plus contingent consideration of up to $50 million.

The latter reflects the maximum earn out payments if Realbase delivers a fivefold increase in EBITDA by FY 2026 compared to FY 2022.

What is Realbase?

Realbase is a leading campaign management technology platform in the Australia and New Zealand region.

Management believes it is a highly strategic acquisition which provides complementary Marketplace offerings that progress Domain’s strategy to deliver solutions that help agents and consumers at every stage of the property journey.

Furthermore, it is expected to significantly accelerate Domain’s Agent Solutions strategy and increase market coverage from ~35% to ~50% of all Australian property transactions.

Management also sees potential to unlock significant pre-tax EBITDA synergies and scaling efficiencies of up to approximately $18 million per annum by FY 2026.

Domain’s CEO, Jason Pellegrino, is very positive on the acquisition. He commented:

“Our mission in Agent Solutions is to build on our track record of trusted partnerships with agents to help them build profitable and sustainable businesses, and deliver value at every stage of the property journey. For some time we have been impressed by Realbase’s technological capabilities and products including innovative campaign management, high growth digital proposals and a rapidly expanding social media marketing offer.

Each of Realbase’s solutions complements and extends the value proposition Domain can take to agents. The acquisition of Realbase meaningfully increases the scale and impact of Domain’s Agent Solutions unit and strengthens our position as the leading provider of end-to-end agent workflow solutions.”

Equity raising

The acquisition of Realbase will be funded via a $180 million underwritten pro-rata accelerated non-renounceable entitlement offer.

These funds will be raised at $3.80 per new share, which represents a 5.2% discount to the current Domain share price.

The release notes that the company’s largest shareholder, Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC), is supportive of the acquisition and equity raising and has committed to take up 100% of its entitlement. This represents approximately 59% of the equity raising.

The Domain share price is expected to return to trade on Tuesday of next week.

The post Domain (ASX:DHG) share price halted for $180m equity raising to fund Realbase acquisition appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 7 small-cap ASX shares that have been oversold: Wilsons

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

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

Geopolitical tensions have gold and silver back in the limelight, as investors often view them as a safe haven. And high levels of inflation fuel the view that precious metals, as hard assets, can help protect against swiftly rising prices.

That’s the good news, given that gold and silver have been rallying. But there’s another factor to consider when you look at precious metals miners, and if you don’t pay attention to it, you could end up getting hurt.

The basic model

Gold and silver mining is a fairly simple business to understand. First, find a place that has material deposits of these precious metals. Then get approval to build a mine. Build the mine. Extract the gold and silver and sell it.

Conceptually, that’s pretty easy to get your head around. However, building a mine is a long and expensive process with material difficulties possible all along the way.

Indeed, there are only just so many places with enough of these precious metals to build a mine, and getting approval can be a headache. For example, Barrick Gold (NYSE: GOLD) has been trying to get approval for its Pascua-Lama mine on the Chile/Argentina border for roughly a decade and still doesn’t have the final green light.

And the cost of building and running a mine is massive. Cleaning up when a company is done with the asset, meanwhile, is also complex and fraught with uncertainty.

Leverage

That said, the cost of a mine, once operational, is something of a line in the sand. When gold and silver prices are close to the line, miners can eke out a profit or dip into the red. But when precious metals prices are materially higher than the cost of production, profits flow swiftly to the bottom line.

For example, the gross profit margin for industry giants Barrick and Newmont (NYSE: NEM) has risen dramatically since mid-2019, along with the price of gold. To put some numbers on that, both companies had gross profit margin in the mid-20% range, but Newmont’s is now in the mid-30% area while Barrick’s is touching 40%.

GOLD Gross Profit Margin data by YCharts

Smaller miners tend to benefit even more from high prices since many have higher cost structures. And yet, in that statement comes the risk. Gold and silver are commodities subject to supply and demand. Rallies are generally followed by pullbacks.

When prices fall, the profitability of miners can fall materially, too. That is why investors need to pay close attention to all-in sustaining costs, which is an industry metric that takes into account operating costs and the investment needed to maintain production levels. Lower costs are better because they make it easier to turn a profit.

GLD data by YCharts

The problem today is that inflation is spreading throughout the world. That means operating costs for miners are likely to be heading higher. For example, all-in sustaining costs for Gold Fields (NYSE: GFI), another large precious metals miner, rose from $977 per ounce in 2020 to $1,063 per ounce in 2021, a nearly 9% year-over-year increase. 

To be fair, all-in sustaining costs can be impacted by capital spending plans, so investors need to dig in a little to see what’s going on. However, with inflation hitting everything from commodities to labor, price increases are a red flag that investors can’t afford to ignore. In some ways, the rising gold price, which is a major tailwind for miners, is just a sign of this problem. 

Don’t get carried away

Wall Street tends to go to extremes, and it is easy to get caught up in the stories that drive the mood swings.

Right now, gold and silver are being looked at as safe-haven assets, providing protection from geopolitical tensions and inflationary pressures. But, on the inflation side, the companies that mine for precious metals are not immune to the impact.

If you are investing in gold and silver miners, you need to pay attention to their costs. Not only will rising all-in sustaining costs crimp profitability, but they could also increase the pain when gold and silver prices fall in the future. 

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

The post 1 red flag for precious metals stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Solana jumped again today
• Why is the Firefinch (ASX:FFX) share price charging higher again?
• What happened to the Wesfarmers share price in March?
• Motley Fool announces new BNPL-style offering
• Here’s how top brokers think the Rio Tinto share price will perform in April

Reuben Gregg Brewer 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.

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

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

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

What happened 

Cryptocurrency Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) jumped double digits in early trading on Thursday following a big gain on Wednesday. As of 11:45 a.m. ET the value of the cryptocurrency was up 4.1% in the last 24 hours and had traded as much as 6.2% higher. 

Solana is up 25.1% over the last week, so this has been a strong run and the value is rising as other cryptocurrencies fall today. 

So what 

Investors continue to pour into Solana as businesses begin to take it more seriously. Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global recently started trading for some Solana-based tokens and yesterday OpenSea said it will start carrying about 50 Solana non-fungible tokens. 

A lot of investors who primarily trade in Bitcoin or Ethereum may not realize what’s being built on Solana so these moves bring exposure to the ecosystem. In time, that should lead to even more investment and higher values for Solana and its tokens as real businesses are built on the blockchain. 

Now what 

Volatility continues to be standard for cryptocurrencies and at times like this, it’s working for Solana investors. But keep in mind that the rise in values could reverse as quickly as it came. 

What I do like is how much is being built on Solana and I think in time that utility will drive tremendous value for investors. So, long-term this is a cryptocurrency I like, which is why I’m holding and ignoring volatile days like today, even if they are working in my favor. 

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

The post Why Solana jumped again today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Solana Stock jumped 10% today
• Why Ethereum, Solana, and Dogecoin are surging higher today
• Why Ethereum, Solana, and Cardano dropped today

Travis Hoium owns Coinbase Global, Inc., Ethereum, and Solana. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Bitcoin, Coinbase Global, Inc., Ethereum, and Solana. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum. 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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The Firefinch Ltd (ASX: FFX) share price is on course to end the week on a positive note.

In morning trade, the gold and lithium explorer’s shares are up over 3% to a new multi-year high of $1.08.

Why is the Firefinch share price pushing higher again?

Investors have been bidding the Firefinch share price on Friday following the release of a positive update on its Goulamina Lithium Project in Mali.

According to the release, Firefinch’s Goulamina Lithium Project Joint Venture Company has received cash funding of US$130 million from fellow 50% partner Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium.

The release notes that the US$130 million of equity funding provided to the joint venture by Ganfeng comprises US$39million that was released from escrow and a further US$91 million second tranche investment.

But it won’t stop there. Ganfeng is further obliged to provide either US$40 million of Ganfeng direct debt or source US$64 million of third-party debt to complete its investment.

This means that combined, Ganfeng’s equity and debt funding package will be a total of at least US$170 million. This is expected to substantially fund the Goulamina Lithium Project through the development phase.

Though, this project will not actually be part of Firefinch for much longer. The company is in the process of pushing ahead with a demerger of the Goulamina Lithium Project into a separately listed company, Leo Lithium. This will be completed in accordance with regulatory timeframes

Earlier this year, Firefinch appointed Simon Hay to lead the Leo Lithium business. He has great experience in taking a lithium miner through from development to production from his time leading Galaxy Resources.

Mr Hay exited the role as CEO of Galaxy Resources following the completion of the A$5 billion merger of equals with Orocobre to create the world’s fifth largest lithium producer Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE).

Time will tell if Leo Lithium is as successful as Galaxy was.

The post Why is the Firefinch (ASX:FFX) share price charging higher again? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 stellar ASX growth shares analysts rate as buys
• 5 ASX lithium and green metals shares hitting new 52-week highs today
• Why Eagers Automotive, Firefinch, Latin Resources, and Piedmont Lithium are rising today
• Why is the Firefinch (ASX: FFX) share price soaring 12% to a 14-year high?
• Buying ASX shares to cash in on the EV and battery metals craze? Read this

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns Orocobre 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 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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The Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) share price underperformed the broader market in March despite the company signing the deed to its latest acquisition.

That’s right, the retail conglomerate is now the official owner of the ASX-listed (though, not for much longer) Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ASX: API).  

As of the final close of the month, the Wesfarmers share price was trading at $50.41. That’s 4.61% higher than it was at the end of February.

However, over that same period the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gained 6.3%. That means the Wesfarmers share price underperformed the majority of its ASX 200 peers last month.

Let’s take a closer look at all that Wesfarmers got up to in March.

What happened to Wesfarmers last month?

The Wesfarmers share price was in focus for much of March as the company’s acquisition of API came together.

The takeover, first tabled in July 2021, was initially rejected by API’s board. A revised offer promising $1.55 per API share was accepted later that year.

However, the takeover was thrown off course twice. Firstly, when Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) posed a merger offer and again when Wesfarmers’ fellow ASX 200 giant Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) threw its hat in the ring.

Fortunately for Wesfarmers, it ultimately won out. API shareholders voted in favour of the company’s takeover on 17 March.

The acquisition was given the green light from the Federal Court days later, with the API share price suspended from 22 March.

The only price-sensitive news the market heard from Wesfarmers in March was released yesterday, sending the company’s share price 1.49% lower.

Then, the ASX 200 staple announced it had officially taken over API.

It ended up paying $1.50 per share for the company since API had paid out 5 cents per share worth of dividends since the conglomerate posed its bid.

Wesfarmers managing director Rob Scott said the acquisition’s completion was an “exciting milestone”.

“API will be the foundation business of our new health division as we develop capabilities and invest in the growing health, wellbeing, and beauty sector,” Scott continued.

API will delist when the market closes today.

Additionally, Wesfarmers shareholders received the company’s interim dividend last month.

The fully franked 80 cents per share payout hit investors’ bank accounts on 30 March.

Wesfarmers share price snapshot

The Wesfarmers share price’s recent gains haven’t been enough to boost it back into the long-term green.

Right now, the company’s stock is trading for 16% less than it was at the start of 2022. It has also fallen nearly 5% since this time last year.

The post What happened to the Wesfarmers share price in March? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• What’s the outlook for the Wesfarmers share price in April?
• 2 ASX dividend shares with attractive yields analysts rate as buys
• It’s payday for Wesfarmers shareholders today. Here’s the deal
• ‘Popping the champagne’: ASX retail shares leap following budget consumer handouts
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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 owns and has recommended Wesfarmers Limited. 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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PRESS RELEASE (For immediate distribution)

MOTLEY FOOL ANNOUNCES NEW BNPL-STYLE OFFERING

Hopes to capitalise on huge and growing trend

And, of course, in keeping with the current trend, the two new products will charge no interest.

Motley Fool spokesperson Lira Fopol said:

“The trend of consumers adopting new payment methods, particularly Buy-Now-Pay-Later and pay advances, has ballooned in recent years. We think the time is ripe to launch two new products into this exciting market, in order to capitalise on the profit to be made from consumers who are unable or unwilling to wait for their new pair of jeans.”

True, it’s an abrupt about face from the criticism Motley Fool Chief Investment Officer Scott Phillips has made of some of these new finance products, noting the lack of appropriate regulation, the move towards pushing people onto a debt treadmill, and the discouragement of sensible financial literacy and discipline, but he was deliberately kept out of the loop while we worked on these products.

Addressing the fact that the sector is currently regulated much more lightly than other credit products, Fopol added:

“While banks, credit card companies and traditional lenders are constrained by pesky rules that require them to make sure they understand the borrower and that they can repay the loan, this new category carries nowhere near the same annoying consumer protections, making it ripe for exploitation and serving the needs of new customers.”

While some would suggest The Motley Fool has been too late to the party on the app-based ‘get it now’ segment, the company believes that the arrival of products to let you pay for your groceries in instalments, and get an advance on your pay (for a fee, of course), means the sector is just getting going.

“Imagine what the future could bring”, said The Motley Fool’s intern and head of new product ideation and whizbangery, Ralf Ofpio. “There’s no limit to what consumers can have now, if they’re prepared to commit money they might otherwise need later. And if they find themselves short, come repayment time, we’ll be able to offer them a loan at hyper-profitable interest rates. Talk about upsell!”

While the company has yet to finalise its full product suite (that will, in all likelihood end up in credit cards, personal loans and mortgages like other BNPL providers), The Motley Fool today announces its first two products, helpfully described with cool acronyms, because that’s what people expect these days.

motley fool bnpn()

(Editors, please note the deliberate lower-case in the product name if referring to this in print. All the cool kids are doing it)

Announcing motley fool bnpn(); the payment choice for a new generation!

We think the abundance of BNPL players has left a yawning gap in the market. While ‘buy now pay later’ has been saturated with dozens of overlapping offerings, there is a huge opportunity in BNPN – buy now, pay now – which none of those players is currently offering.

Buy-now-pay-now, through motley fool bnpn(), will revolutionise this market by giving consumers the opportunity to buy things with the money they already have.

Importantly, this payment method dispenses with future payment obligations (installments) by allowing the consumer to pay in full, up front, thus better managing their cash flows, and avoiding them accidentally overspending, meaning late fees or having an instalment deducted from their account the day before the rent is due.

“We think this is a huge step forward” said The Motley Fool’s Ofpio. “Paying up front is simpler, easier, and interest-free. Plus, there’s no risk of a late fee.”

motley fool blpl ()

To complement the new motley fool bnpn () offering, The Motley Fool also announces the launch of motley fool blpl (), exploiting yet another gap in the new finance market.

blpl – ‘buy later, pay later’ is an innovative concept allowing consumers to delay their purchase of fashion clothing, computer games and/or new furniture until they actually have the money.

Acknowledging that the company will have a hard time combatting the FOMO encouraged by its competitors, Ofpio commented “We know people love BNPL, and the various providers are only too happy to encourage people to live it up now and let their future selves worry about making payments, but we are hopeful that motley fool blpl () will take off, even if only slowly at first.”

In keeping with this new launch, The Motley Fool has also invented some new lexicon which it hopes will take off. We have created three new terms: ‘living within your means’, ‘savings’ and ‘delayed gratification’.

While acknowledging that these new terms might struggle to catch on, General Manager Lira Fopol commented:

“There are some people who genuinely need credit products to deal with unexpected crises in their lives, and those people should be served by low-cost providers, whose aim isn’t to get consumers hooked on rolling credit.

“For everyone else, the BNPL craze has become an addiction that too many companies are aiming to profit from. We hope to join them with motley fool bnpn () and motley fool blpl ()!”

motley fool bnpn() and motley fool blpl() will start rolling out on April 1, 2023.

Until then, the finance industry will try to convince you that their debt solutions are better for you, convincing you (and maybe themselves) that they’re doing you a favour.

Makes you feel warm and fuzzy, doesn’t it?

Media contact:

Flora Pilo
info@fool.com.au

——————————————————-
Returns as of 1 April 2022. And only 1 April 2022. For obvious reasons. We hope.

This article would usually contain general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). But not this time. Well, except for our commitment to great investing advice. That’s legit. (There is some general financial advice, though, if you check the calendar, and read between the lines.)

Authorised by Scott Phillips.

(Also, written by Scott, acted by Scott and he did the lighting and costume design. Also, the hand-drawn signs out the front. But just today.)

Didn’t find the article funny? That’s okay. It’s not supposed to have you rolling in the aisles. We’re just using today to make a serious point, with a smile. And a little irreverence.

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Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips 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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The Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price edged higher in March 2022. But what’s next for the ASX mining share in April?

Rio Tinto shares start the month at $119.11. The share price has gone up almost 20% in 2022 year to date, amid the strengthening of prices for many commodities.

The iron ore price remains around 50% higher compared to where it was at the start of November 2021. Iron ore remains a key profit generator for the company.

Without a working crystal ball, it’s difficult to say what will happen to the miner this week, this month, or even this year. However, some analysts have given their opinions on what they think the ASX mining share could be worth in the future with their price targets.

What do brokers think of the Rio Tinto share price?

UBS

The broker UBS, which has been negative on iron ore miners in recent times, has upgraded its rating on Rio Tinto from a sell to neutral. This change was because of the improving outlook for the iron ore price over the coming months.

UBS thinks that China could help continue the party for the iron ore price as the country looks to pursue growth. It now believes that the iron ore price in 2023 could be US$105 per tonne and US$135 per tonne in 2022.

Based on UBS numbers, the Rio Tinto share price is valued at under 7x FY22’s estimated earnings and under 9x FY23’s estimated earnings.

Morgan Stanley

The broker Morgan Stanley recently said that Reuters had reported that Guinea had reached a deal with miners to resume activities on the Simandou iron ore development, after resolving disputes relating to infrastructure. Rio Tinto is one of those miners.

Simandou has more than 4 billion tonnes of ore according to Guinea’s government.

Morgan Stanley doesn’t think it will be until 2028 when the first ore happens, though the Guinea government is hoping for 2025.

Morgan Stanley rates the Rio Tinto share price as a buy, with a price target of $130.50. That implies a potential upside of around 10%.

The broker is expecting another big year of cash flow and dividends from Rio Tinto. Morgan Stanley’s numbers put the Rio Tino share price at 6x FY22’s estimated earnings, with a grossed-up dividend yield of 18.4%.

Macquarie

Macquarie is one of the most positive brokers on Rio Tinto, with a buy rating and a price target of $140.

While the strength of iron ore is one part of Rio Tinto, Macquarie also points out that alumina prices have also gone up significantly, which is helping its thoughts about the underlying value of the ASX mining share.

Using Macquarie’s numbers, the Rio Tinto share price is valued at 6x FY22’s estimated earnings, with a grossed-up dividend yield of 15.3%.

Rio Tinto share price snapshot

The mining giant is starting the month with a market capitalisation of $43.4 billion, according to the ASX.

The post Here’s how top brokers think the Rio Tinto share price will perform in April appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• The ASX 200 just had its longest winning streak since 2017. What’s doing?
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• Own Rio Tinto shares? Here’s why UBS says ‘it is too early to be confident’
• What’s with the Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) share price today?
• Why international investors are flocking to ASX shares right now

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 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.

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