Tag: Motley Fool

  • Mining Bitcoin is 3.5 times more expensive than digging up gold

    a close up of a woman's face looks skywards as she is showered in a sea of graphic symbols of gold and silver coins bearing the bitcoin logo.a close up of a woman's face looks skywards as she is showered in a sea of graphic symbols of gold and silver coins bearing the bitcoin logo.

    Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) fans have often spruiked the cryptocurrency as a store of value when other assets like shares and real estate hit turbulence.

    This is a role traditionally performed by gold for many centuries.

    “Amongst retail investors it is increasingly regarded as a ‘safe haven’ asset, similar to gold,” said DeVere Group chief executive Nigel Green.

    But one concern that’s become prominent in recent years is the amount of computing power required to mine new Bitcoins.

    Mining involves solving extremely complicated mathematical calculations on very powerful computers. This requires a tremendous amount of energy, both to power the computers and to house them.

    Some Bitcoin mining data centres are deliberately located in cold locations like Siberia to use less energy to cool the data centres.

    All this leads to the question of the environmental impact of creating new coins.

    It’s not a physical asset but has physical impacts

    In response, Bitcoin bulls have always argued there is a greater environmental cost to mine gold.

    Gold obviously has to be physically discovered then dug up out of the ground and processed.

    But now it seems that argument is on shaky ground.

    A new study has shown how generating Bitcoin takes up more energy than mining the same value of gold out of the earth.

    According to the Bankless Times, mining US$1 worth of Bitcoin uses 17 megajoules of energy, while digging up the same value of gold costs 5MJ.

    “Although both assets consume quite a bit of energy, Bitcoin’s consumption is comparably higher since the network still needs electricity to complete transactions and continue functioning,” reported the Times.

    The cryptocurrency fares even worse when the impact is translated to the carbon footprint.

    “Following the surge in the number of users, Bitcoin’s carbon footprint is currently about 15 times that of gold,” stated the Bankless Times.

    “Mining 1 Bitcoin emits about 191 tonnes of carbon dioxide, while mining gold worth 1 Bitcoin emits about only 13 tonnes.”

    What does 191 tonnes of carbon dioxide mean exactly?

    According to the Times, that’s the same amount of carbon released from 1.6 million Visa Inc (NYSE: V) transactions.

    China’s crypto ban made Bitcoin even dirtier

    As the environmental concerns about Bitcoin mining have come into public consciousness, some industry players have taken steps to address the problem.

    Many have promised to only use renewable energy sources to power the computers.

    But China’s ban on cryptocurrencies last year was a major setback in this movement.

    “Before the ban, miners in China would use hydropower to mine Bitcoins, especially during the wet season,” stated the Times.

    “This helped a great deal with keeping Bitcoin mining green.”

    The post Mining Bitcoin is 3.5 times more expensive than digging up gold appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Bitcoin, 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 Bitcoin 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 Tony Yoo owns Bitcoin. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Bitcoin. 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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  • Who owns Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) shares? You’ll want to read this

    a corporate-looking woman looks at her mobile phone as she pulls along her suitcase in another hand while walking through an airport terminal with high glass panelled walls.a corporate-looking woman looks at her mobile phone as she pulls along her suitcase in another hand while walking through an airport terminal with high glass panelled walls.

    Shares in Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) have staged a comeback in 2022 and now trade around 12% higher in that time.

    After a solid 11% gain printed in the last month of trade, it appears investors are ready to board the company’s flight back north again.

    Yesterday’s trading volume was in-line with the 4-week average, and checking Bloomberg trade data, the order book is stacked towards the buy-side.

    But with the recent upside that’s seen shares claw back towards 3-month highs, you’d be surprised to know that analyst sentiment is actually quite low on Flight Centre shares at the moment.

    TradingView Chart

    Sentiment is low – really low

    The number of analysts recommending Flight Centre as a buy has crept down substantially over the past 12 months. At the moment, just 14% of coverage rates the company as a buy, whereas the remainder are either neutral or urge their clients to sell shares, according to Bloomberg data.

    That’s crept down from a high of 71% of analysts saying to buy Flight Centre exactly two years ago, in the midst of the pandemic.

    Meanwhile, whilst the consensus price target has crept up from $14.70 back then, it now sits below the current share price at $18.97, suggesting the stock might be overvalued.

    Before the open on Thursday, Flight Centre shares were resting at $20.11, after jumping almost 7% in the past week.

    What’s being said?

    Analysts at JP Morgan are in the bearish camp and rate the stock a sell with a $15 per share valuation. Whilst it notes a number of progress points in the company’s journey since COVID-19, the broker says there are still a few red flags.

    In particular, analysts say that lines of revenue tied to leisure and international travel are likely to be worst hit in Australia & New Zealand.

    “1H22 Leisure TTV of $950m was materially below $6,619m in the 1H20 pre-COVID period,” it said in a recent note.

    “With the business leveraged to the Australia & New Zealand markets (50% of 1H20 group TTV), and with revenue generation skewed to international travel, ongoing restrictions continue to put pressure on the Leisure business,” it added.

    Corporate lines have also been impacted by COVID-19, but have staged a small recovery as the economy slowly reopens again.

    “The Corporate business generated 60% of group TTV, growing at +148% [year on year] to $2,040 million, but faced some pressure on revenue margin due to the Australian hotel quarantine work in November and December”, the broker remarked.

    JP Morgan is joined by Ord Minnett and Jefferies in its conviction to sell. Meanwhile, Bell Potter rates it as a buy, valuing the company at $20.50 per share in the process.

    Flight Centre shares have crept up 12% in the past year and are now trading 14% higher since trading resumed in 2022.

    The post Who owns Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) shares? You’ll want to read this appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    These 5 Cheap Shares Could Be Set For Huge Gains (FREE REPORT)

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can find out the names of these stocks in the FREE stock report.

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of February 15th 2021

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    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 Flight Centre Travel 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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  • ‘Key to our future’: What’s going on with the Qantas share price today?

    A green plane flies over a biofuels tanker.A green plane flies over a biofuels tanker.

    The Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price is in the red in early trading today after the airline outlined its plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, which includes new interim targets.

    Additionally, Qantas has unveiled a partnership with Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) and Inpex to explore a Western Australian carbon farming and biofuels project.

    At the time of writing, the Qantas share price is down 0.86% at $5.215.

    Let’s take a closer look at the news released by the iconic airline today.

    Qantas share price in focus on new emissions pledge

    The Qantas share price is falling following the release of the airline’s Climate Action Plan this morning.

    The national carrier has also announced an interim target that will see it cut its carbon emissions by 25% by 2030 (based on 2019 levels).

    “Having a clear plan to decarbonise Qantas and Jetstar so we can keep delivering these services in the decades ahead is absolutely key to our future,” said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce.

    The flying kangaroo’s approach to net zero relies on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), waste reduction, fuel efficiencies, and offsets to hit carbon neutrality over the coming 28 years.

    In fact, it’s aiming to increase its use of SAF by 10% by 2030 and approximately 60% by 2050.

    It has also pledged $50 million to help create an Australian SAF industry, calling on governments to add their own support. The company notes Australia already produces much of the fuel’s feedstock.

    Qantas is also aiming to improve its fuel efficiencies by an average of 1.5% each year until 2030. It will engage in fleet modernisations and flight planning to do so.

    The airline will continue researching what it calls “next-generation technologies” such as battery and hydrogen power.

    Finally, Qantas has committed to ditching single-use plastics by 2027 and cutting ties with landfill by 2030.

    “We’ve had a zero net emissions goal for several years, so today’s interim targets are about accelerating our progress and cutting emissions as quickly as technology allows,” commented Joyce.

    “One benefit of setting these targets now is sending a clear signal that we’re in the market for large volumes of sustainable aviation fuel, for carbon offset projects, and for products that can be recycled. That will hopefully encourage more investment and build more momentum for the industry as a whole.”

    Qantas enters Australian biofuel partnership

    Also potentially affecting the Qantas share price today is news of an agreement to investigate an Australian biofuels hub.

    The airline announced it has entered a new memorandum of understanding with ANZ and Inpex.

    The agreement will create a feasibility study into producing low-carbon renewable biofuels in Western Australia’s wheat belt.

    According to the airline, it could support reforestation and decarbonisation by planting drought-resilient native tree crops, integrating them with farming systems.

    The entities have already assessed the potential of a carbon farming project.

    Now, they will investigate harvesting and processing native biomass crops and selected agricultural waste residues to produce biofuels.

    If all goes to plan, native trees will begin to be planted in 2023.

    Qantas share price snapshot

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

    Right now, it is 2% higher than it was at the start of the year. In that time frame, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has slipped nearly 1%.

    Though, the airline’s stock has only grown 3% over the last 12 months. For comparison, the ASX 200 is sporting a 10% gain.

    The post ‘Key to our future’: What’s going on with the Qantas share price today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Qantas, 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 Qantas 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 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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  • Buy these 2 impressive ASX shares in April 2022: experts

    ASX 200 shares to buy A clockface with the word 'Time to Buy'

    ASX 200 shares to buy A clockface with the word 'Time to Buy'

    The two ASX shares in this article are rated as impressive buys, according to some of the leading Australian investment experts.

    COVID-19 has impacted the economy in a number of ways. Some businesses have seen profits sink. But the reopening of Australian borders and international borders could be beneficial for several ASX shares.

    Brokers like the prospects of these two businesses:

    Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

    Corporate Travel says that it’s the world’s fourth-largest global corporate travel manager. Once a full recovery has been completed, it thinks it will be able to generate $810 million of revenue and underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $265 million.

    It’s rated as a buy by at least five brokers, including Macquarie, which has a price target of $26.70 on the business. That implies a potential upside of around 10% over the next 12 months.

    Macquarie rates Corporate Travel as a leading ASX travel share idea, partly thanks to a recovery in passenger volumes of North American travellers. For example, United Airlines said that it expects the 2022 first-quarter capacity to be down 16% to 18% compared to the first quarter of 2019.

    In the first half of FY22, Corporate Travel said that it generated an underlying EBITDA of $18.2 million, with positive underlying EBITDA in the first half of FY22 for North America, Europe and ANZ. The HY22 Europe EBITDA was higher than what was achieved in the pre-COVID FY20 half-year result.

    Management said that the current environment is helpful for the ASX share to keep winning market share.

    Idp Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

    Idp Education describes itself as a global leader in international education services. It helps international students study in English-speaking countries.

    It is the co-owner of IELTS, the world’s most popular high-stakes English language test, according to the company. It also operates 11 English language teaching campuses across South East Asia.

    Idp Education is rated as a buy by at least three brokers, including Morgan Stanley. This broker has a price target of $40.20, which implies a possible upside of more than 25% over the next 12 months.

    Morgan Stanley notes that Idp Education’s earnings are recovering strongly and that the business could keep growing earnings and market share.

    In the FY22 first half result, the ASX share said that its total revenue rose by 49% to $396.8 million. English language testing revenue soared 68% to $256.7 million, while multi-destination student placement revenue jumped 68% to $79.6 million.

    The company’s EBITDA increased 45% to $96.6 million and net profit after tax (NPAT) grew by 70% to $50.8 million.

    Idp Education’s CEO and managing director Andrew Barkla said that the ASX share is strongly positioned in the rebound as it delivers “smarter and increasingly personalised ways to guide people on their study, career and migration journey.”

    Mr Barkla also said that the company’s footprint is expanding in key markets, that there are positive global policy settings for the industry and that it’s in a strong position to help even more customers. He said that the company has invested for the long-term and it is seeing the benefits of that through increased demand for its services.

    Morgan Stanley thinks that the Idp Education share price is valued at 46x FY23’s estimated earnings.

    The post Buy these 2 impressive ASX shares in April 2022: experts 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 Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Idp Education Pty Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Corporate Travel Management Limited and 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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  • Why is the Core Lithium (ASX:CXO) share price up 6% to a record high?

    Cut outs of cogs and machinery with chemical symbol for lithium

    Cut outs of cogs and machinery with chemical symbol for lithium

    The Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) share price is on the move on Thursday morning.

    At the time of writing, the lithium developer’s shares are up 6% to a record high of $1.34.

    Why is the Core Lithium share price rising today?

    The catalyst for the rise in the Core Lithium share price today has been the release of an exploration and drilling update from the Finniss Lithium Project near Darwin in the Northern Territory.

    Core Lithium’s exploration team has been busy over the last drilling season, focusing on mineral resource growth and conversion and regional exploration to extend mine life and lay the foundation for production expansion within the broader Finniss Lithium Project over the medium term.

    Today’s update provided the market with the results from drill assays received for drilling undertaken at a number of prospects and early-stage regional exploration targets within the southern tenements of the project area.

    What did it report?

    As you might have guessed from the Core Lithium share price performance today, these drilling results have been very promising.

    According to the release, ten reverse circulation drill holes were completed at the Bilatos prospect. “Excitingly”, as management described it, most holes intersected significant lithium grades and consistent thicknesses of pegmatite in the first drilling.

    One disappointment, though, was that the company didn’t have any success with its regional exploration. The release advises that 17 holes were drilled but there were no significant lithium intercepts.

    Nevertheless, Core Lithium’s Managing Director, Stephen Biggins, remains positive on the future.

    He commented: “The latest results confirm our view of the prospects drilled at the Finniss Project, and we look forward to reporting the new results as they come to hand. With the wet season nearly behind us, we are planning an active exploration drilling program at Finniss over the coming months.”

    The post Why is the Core Lithium (ASX:CXO) share price up 6% to a record high? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Core Lithium right now?

    Before you consider Core Lithium, 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 Core Lithium 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 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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  • Tabcorp (ASX:TAH) share price higher following $10b demerger update

    jumbo share price

    jumbo share price

    The Tabcorp Holdings Limited (ASX: TAH) share price is on the move on Thursday morning.

    At the time of writing, the gambling company’s shares are up almost 3% to $5.36.

    Why is the Tabcorp share price rising?

    Investors have been bidding the Tabcorp share price higher today after responding positively to the company’s demerger update.

    According to the release, the company has registered its demerger booklet relating to its Lottery business with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

    This booklet is then expected to be despatched to shareholders next month ahead of a shareholder vote on the demerger in May.

    What’s happening?

    The demerger, which Tabcorp’s directors are unanimously recommending shareholders vote in favour of, will see the company’s Lottery business spun off and listed separately on the Australian share market.

    The Tabcorp board has determined that the demerger is the most certain and timely path, with lower regulatory impediments, to maximise value for shareholders.

    The demerger will split the company into two: The Lottery Corporation (TLC) and New Tabcorp. The former will be home to its lottery brands including Keno, Tatts, and the Lott, which generated pro forma revenue of $3.2 billion and EBITDA of $611 million in FY 2021.

    Whereas the latter will retain its wagering-focused businesses – Tab, Sky Racing, Max, and PGi. These businesses generated pro forma revenue of $2.5 billion and EBITDA of $464 million in FY 2021.

    What about your shareholding?

    If the demerger is approved and goes ahead, shareholders will receive one share in the TLC business for every share they own in Tabcorp on the record date of 25 May.

    After which, the new shares are expected to begin trading on the ASX boards on a normal settlement basis on 2 June.

    The post Tabcorp (ASX:TAH) share price higher following $10b demerger update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Tabcorp, 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 Tabcorp 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 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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  • Why Block (NYSE:SQ) stock dropped today

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

    Red arrow going down and symbolising a falling share price.

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

    What happened

    A funny thing happened to Block (NYSE: SQ) stock today (well, funny unless you own it — if you own it, it’s just weird). Investment megabank Goldman Sachs initiated coverage of Block (formerly known Square) with a coveted buy rating and a $173 price target implying 22% upside in the stock. 

    But instead of going up in response to the upgrade, Block stock went down 3.3% as of 1:50 p.m. ET. 

    So what

    StreetInsider.com has the details.

    “SQ is well positioned to benefit from Cash App’s growing monetization from new product features (e.g., tax preparation, card spending, cash management, stock investing, Bitcoin),” writes Goldman, “while enjoying ongoing user growth from the network effects of P2P payments, as well as Square’s continued share gains” among small and medium businesses.

    The analyst is also optimistic about Block’s purchase of Afterpay, predicting that its entry into the buy now, pay later market will “generate synergies and integrate the Square and Cash App ecosystems through the addition of new consumers and merchants, as well as helping to establish commerce & brand discovery features into Cash App.”

    Now what

    So far, so good — but why does any of the above add up to investors selling Block stock today, instead of buying it?

    Honestly, I don’t think they do. Rather, what I suspect we see happening here is investors taking advantage of Goldman Sachs’ positive note to cash in some of their recent profits from Block stock. Just two weeks ago, Block stock was selling for less than $95 a share — but it tipped the scales at nearly $147 last night, a 55% improvement in the space of 16 days.

    Recall, too, that with only $166 million in trailing net income, Block stock currently costs nearly 500 times trailing earnings, which is quite a lot to pay even for a company pegged by analysts for tremendous 37% annualized earnings growth over the next five years.

    Simply put, Block stock had a great run-up over the past couple of weeks. It was due for a pullback — no matter what Goldman Sachs had to say about it today. 

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

    The post Why Block (NYSE:SQ) stock dropped today 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

    Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Bitcoin, Block, Inc., and Goldman Sachs. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Bitcoin. 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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  • What’s the outlook for the Wesfarmers share price in April?

    A fortune teller looks into a crystal ball in an office surrounded by business people.

    A fortune teller looks into a crystal ball in an office surrounded by business people.

    The Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) share price has risen in March. But could it keep going up in April 2022?

    No one can truly know what a share price is going to do on any day, month or even year.

    But analysts regularly like to update their thoughts on a business. Company updates can also change investor opinions.

    What could happen next for the Wesfarmers share price?  

    One of the latest ratings on Wesfarmers comes from the broker Citi. It is ‘neutral’ on Wesfarmers, with a price target of $50. That implies that the ASX retail share is expected to decline slightly.

    The broker had a look at what the impacts of the federal budget might be, with a potential $8 billion increase for Aussie households to spend, which could help Wesfarmers.

    One of the most positive brokers on Wesfarmers is Morgans. It rates Wesfarmers as a buy, with a price target of $58.50. That implies a potential rise of more than 10%.

    Morgans noted that the FY22 half-year result were not as strong as the broker had been expecting, partly because of COVID-19 effects, which it believes will continue over the six months to 30 June 2022.

    Half-year earnings wrap

    The company reported that revenue fell 0.1% to $17.76 billion. Net profit after tax (NPAT) fell by 12.7% to $1.2 billion and operating cash flow sank 29.8% to $1.56 billion.

    Wesfarmers said the first six months of FY22 were the most disrupted period for its businesses since the onset of COVID-19. There were store closures and trading restrictions. On top of that, operating costs and stock availability were impacted by ongoing supply chain disruptions and elevated team member “absenteeism”.

    Cash flow was also impacted by higher inventory, particularly in Kmart as a result of additional purchasing decisions to prioritise availability while COVID-related disruptions persist.

    Outlook

    When the ASX retail share released its FY22 half-year result, it said that overall economic conditions in Australia were favourable, supported by strong employment and high levels of accumulated household savings. The company continues to actively manage increasing inflationary pressure and will leverage its scale to mitigate the impact of rising costs.

    The company said its retail businesses will increase their focus on price leadership and are “well positioned to continue to provide customers with great value on everyday products as rising cost-of-living pressures impact household budgets.”

    Retail trading conditions were subdued in January because of growing Omicron COVID-19 case numbers, impacting both customer traffic and labour availability, but trading momentum improved in February.

    Wesfarmers continue to incur additional costs and experience stock availability impacts. It’s expecting supply chain disruptions, elevated transport costs and constraints in domestic labour markets to continue in the second half of FY22.

    Wesfarmers share price valuation

    Citi thinks that the current Wesfarmers share price is valued at 25x FY22’s estimated earnings.

    However, Morgans thinks the Wesfarmers share price is valued at 27x FY22’s estimated earnings.

    The post What’s the outlook for the Wesfarmers share price in April? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Wesfarmers, 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 Wesfarmers 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 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 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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  • 2 ASX dividend shares with attractive yields analysts rate as buys

    Man holding different Australian dollar notes.

    Man holding different Australian dollar notes.

    If you’re an income investor on the lookout for some new additions, then you may want to check out the two ASX dividend shares listed below.

    Here’s why these giants could be in the buy zone:

    Charter Hall Social Infrastructure REIT (ASX: CQE)

    The first ASX dividend share to look at is the Charter Hall Social Infrastructure REIT.

    This real estate investment trust has a focus on social infrastructure properties, such as bus depots, police and justice services facilities, and childcare centres. All of which are in demand with end users and command very long leases, as evidenced in its 100% occupancy rate and weighted average lease expiry of 14.6 years.

    The team at Goldman Sachs is positive on the company and currently has a conviction buy rating and $4.20 price target on its shares

    As for dividends, Goldman is forecasting dividends per share of 17.2 cents in FY 2022 and 18.3 cents in FY 2023. Based on its current share price of $3.93, this implies yields of 4.4% and 4.65%, respectively.

    Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

    Another ASX dividend share that could be in the buy zone is Wesfarmers. It is one of Australia’s leading conglomerates with a quality portfolio of retail, industrial, and mining businesses.

    Morgans is very positive on Wesfarmers. It believes Wesfarmers is well-placed to benefit when trading conditions improve. Overall, it views the company as a core portfolio holding for long-term investors.

    As a result, the broker currently has an add rating and $58.50 price target on its shares.

    In respect to dividends, Morgans is forecasting fully franked dividends of $1.62 per share in FY 2022 and then $1.81 per share in FY 2023. Based on the current Wesfarmers share price of $51.17 this will mean yields of 3.2% and 3.5%, respectively.

    The post 2 ASX dividend shares with attractive yields analysts rate as buys 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 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 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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  • 3 ASX growth shares brokers rate as buys for April

    stack of wooden blocks with '1, 2, 3' written on them

    stack of wooden blocks with '1, 2, 3' written on them

    Are you interested in adding some ASX growth shares to your portfolio? If you are, you may want to look at the ones listed below.

    Here’s what you need to know about these growth shares:

    Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

    The first ASX growth share to look at is Breville. It is a leading appliance manufacturer with a growing portfolio of brands which have been resonating well with consumers for many years. Together with its global expansion, this has underpinned consistently solid sales and earnings growth. The good news is that this strong form is expected to continue in the future thanks to favourable industry tailwinds, its continued investment in research and development, and its ongoing global expansion. Macquarie is a very positive on Breville. The broker currently has an outperform rating and $34.80 price target on its shares.

    Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

    Another growth share to look at is this pizza chain operator. It could be a top option due to its strong brand, investment in technology, and bold expansion plans. The latter sees the company aiming to more than double its network by FY 2033. It also has the balance sheet strength to add to its network, extending its market opportunity further. And while a poor performance in Asia has been weighing on its shares this year, Morgans remains positive on the future and sees this as a buying opportunity. The broker has an add rating and $115.00 price target on its shares.

    Infomedia Limited (ASX: IFM)

    A final growth share to look at is Infomedia. It is software as a service (SaaS) platform provider in parts, service, e-commerce, and data analytics solutions to the global automotive industry. It has been supporting global automotive distribution networks for more than 25 years and continues to expand its reach within the three regions in which it currently operates. Bell Potter is very positive on the company, naming its top pick in the tech sector right now. It currently has a buy rating and $1.85 price target on its shares.

    The post 3 ASX growth shares brokers rate as buys for April 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 James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Infomedia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Dominos Pizza Enterprises Limited and Infomedia. 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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