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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) can’t seem to decide what to do with the week’s last trading day. The ASX 200 is currently down by a tentative 0.03%, but has been rather wild all day. That’s perhaps no surprise, given what is happening in the world right now. But in what may be a surprise, the Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) share price is underperforming the market so far today.  

Newcrest was one of the precious few ASX 200 shares not to be heavily sold off yesterday. In fact, this gold miner finished the day up a pleasing 4.15%. During times of geopolitical turmoil, investors often flock to gold, and by extension, the companies that mine it. This is probably what we saw occurring yesterday.

But today, the Newcrest share price is going backwards, giving up much of yesterday’s gains. Newcrest shares are presently trading at $24.98 each, down 2.52% so far. 

Gold is money? Newcrest’s latest dividend leaves the ASX

Gold prices have slipped over the past few hours, as my Fool colleague James outlined this morning. So that is probably why we are seeing weakness across most of the ASX gold sector today. But in Newcrest’s case, something else is also at play. 

The miner has traded ex-dividend today. Yes, from today, new shareholders will not be entitled to receive Newcrest’s upcoming interim dividend payout. Thus, the value of this payment has left the Newcrest share price, as is typical when an ASX dividend share goes ‘ex-div’. 

It was only last week that Newcrest released its half-year earnings report to the markets. As we covered at the time, the gold miner reported an increase in its gold reserves, but a fall in revenues, profits and production. However, Newcrest did declare an interim dividend of 7.5 US cents per share, fully franked. That equates to 10.4 cents in our currency. This dividend will hit shareholders’ bank accounts on 31 March. 

Unfortunately for shareholders, this payment was a lot lower than either Newcrest’s prior interim dividend of 19.3 cents per share, or its previous final dividend of 55.2 cents per share. 

But this dividend is at least partially responsible for the falls we are seeing in Newcrest shares this Friday. 

At the current Newcrest share price, this ASX 200 gold miner has a dividend yield of 2.62%. 

The post Why is the Newcrest (ASX:NCM) share price sliding lower on Friday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• ASX 200 gold shares shining bright amid market selloff
• These are some of the only ASX shares in the green today. Here’s why
• Here’s why the Northern Star (ASX:NST) share price had such a stellar day
• Here’s why ASX 200 gold shares turned sharply lower mid-day today

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns Newcrest Mining 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 is having a tough month.

Since the start of February, the conglomerate’s shares have lost 9% of their value.

The good news is that one leading broker believes this could be a buying opportunity.

Who is positive on the Wesfarmers share price?

A recent note out of Morgans reveals that its analysts are feeling bullish on the Wesfarmers share price.

According to the note, the broker has retained its add rating with a slightly trimmed price target of $58.50.

Based on the current Wesfarmers share price of $47.77, this implies potential upside of 22% for investors over the next 12 months.

And with Morgans forecasting a fully franked dividend of 162 cents per share in FY 2022, the total potential return on offer stretches to an even more attractive 25%.

What did the broker say?

While Wesfarmers delivered a half year result that was a touch short of its expectations earlier this month, the broker saw enough to remain positive on the future.

It commented: “Wesfarmers’ 1H22 result was largely in line at the underlying NPAT line (+1% vs MorgansF), which was not a surprise with guidance provided in January. However, the result was weaker (-5% vs MorgansF) at the underlying EBIT line.”

“Despite ongoing uncertainty in the operating environment, we think WES is well-placed to benefit when conditions improve and continue to view the stock as a core portfolio holding for long-term investors,” it added.

Overall, the broker believes Wesfarmers could be a great long term option for investors thanks to its “diversified group of retail and industrial brands, solid balance sheet and strong leadership team that will continue delivering value for shareholders.”

The post Top broker tips over 20% upside for Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Analysts name 2 ASX dividend giants to buy
• 5 ASX 200 shares tumbling to 52-week lows today
• Opportunity? 5 ASX 200 shares that traded at 52-week lows today
• The Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) share price just hit a new 52-week low. Is the smart money buying?
• Telstra, Wesfarmers, oil and unemployment: Scott Phillips on Nine’s Late News

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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This year so far has been rough on the BetMakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET) share price.

That’s despite multiple seemingly positive announcements hitting the market from the company.

At the time of writing, the BetMakers share price is 58 cents, 5.45% higher than its previous close. However, that’s also 30.12% lower than it was at the start of 2022.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is currently down 0.15% today and has fallen 8% year to date.

Let’s take a look at what’s been going on with BetMakers through 2022 so far and what could be weighing on its share price.

What’s dragging the BetMakers share price down in 2022?

The final week of January was a busy one for BetMakers. Over those 7 days, the company released 3 price-sensitive updates to the market.

First, it announced that its agreement to exclusively provide fixed odds betting for horse racing in New Jersey had been extended to cover 15 years. Additionally, under the new agreement, BetMakers would be able to sub-licence the betting product.

Next, the company released its results for the second quarter of financial year 2022, which saw it reporting its best quarter of revenue ever.

Over the 3 months ended 31 December, BetMakers recorded $24.6 million of cash receipts – a 17% increase on that of the September quarter and 521% more than the previous December quarter.

Finally, it announced that its commercial agreements with the Waterhouse Group brought in $8.2 million of revenue over the first half of this financial year.

As a result, BetMakers expects performance payments of around 14 million of options will be met in the second half – finalising all equity-based payments to the Waterhouse Group relating to its core products.

The BetMakers share price fell between 0.2% and 2.4% on all 3 announcements. There’s been no more price-sensitive news from the company in 2022.

However, there might be something else dragging its shares’ value down. BetMakers’ stock is still one of the most shorted shares on the ASX.

At the time of The Motley Fool Australia’s latest weekly short selling update, the company had a short interest of 11.3%.

That means many market participants are betting against its stock, which could be weighing on investors’ confidence.

The post Why has the BetMakers (ASX:BET) share price dumped 30% so far this year? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

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. owns and has recommended Betmakers Technology Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Betmakers Technology Group 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 share price of ASX communications company, Frontier Digital Ventures Ltd (ASX: FDV) has wobbled over the last 2 sessions after it announced that its profits more than doubled last year.

For those unfamiliar with the company, it specialises in providing online marketplaces and property and automotive verticals in emerging regions.

The Frontier Digital Ventures share price slumped after the company’s earnings for 2021 were released yesterday. It ended Thursday’s session 5.86% lower at $1.20.

However, it’s getting back on the horse today. At the time of writing, the Frontier Digital Ventures share price is $1.24, 2.49% higher than its previous close.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) tumbled 2.9% yesterday. It’s recovering slightly today, recording a 0.2% gain.

What’s driving this ASX communication share this lately?

The Frontier Digital Ventures share price has had a wobbly performance on the ASX after releasing its full year earnings for 2021. Here are its statutory results:

• Revenue of $51.4 million – 147% more than that of 2020
• Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) came to a loss of $5.6 million – down from last year’s loss of $3.8 million
• After tax loss of $15.1 million ­– down from last year’s approximately $13.2 million loss
• Earnings per share (EPS) came to a 4.4 cent loss – last year brough an EPS loss of 4.78 cents

On the company’s results, its founder and CEO Shaun Di Gregorio noted “the difficulties in interpreting [the company’s] statutory results given [its] mix of consolidated and equity accounted investments”.

He pointed investors to look at the company’s portfolio view of its results, instead.

They show revenue of $60.2 million – a 154% increase.

Additionally, the company’s portfolio EBITDA came to $1.9 million – an increase of $1.3 million on the prior year’s and a new record.

Over 2021, Frontier Digital Ventures recognised 383 million users across its portfolios and 1,253 million sessions.

The company also reported an unrealised currency exchange gain of $8.5 million for the period, compared to 2020’s unrealised currency exchange loss of $10.2 million.

What else happened during the half?

2021 was a busy period for the ASX communication share.

It acquired the remaining 43.7% interest in the Moroccan car marketplace, Moteur.ma in January and, in February, announced its acquisition of Chilean auto and real estate classifieds Yapo.cl.

Its acquisition of Yapo cost the company around $24 million.

It was a similar story in June and July when it fully acquired both Infocasas –  the leading property portal in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia – and Encuentra24 – a general marketplace in 5 Latin American markets.

Frontier Digital Ventures also underwent a capital raise last year, bringing in $53.9 million after offering new shares for $1.50 apiece.

The Frontier Digital Ventures share price gained 4.7% over 2021.

What did management say?

Gregorio commented on the company’s earnings for 2021, saying:

We are thrilled to report the ongoing growth of the portfolio across 2021 …

We are delighted with the performance of our key operating companies, as they leverage their market leadership positions to grow transaction revenues and enhance their long-term earnings profile.

In particular, the performance of Zameen and InfoCasas provide our other operating companies with the blueprint for high growth transactional marketplaces.

What’s next for the ASX communication share?

The company didn’t provide guidance for 2022.

However, it did say it’s continuing to explore ways to maximise value for shareholders.

Frontier Digital Ventures share price snapshot

The ASX communications company’s share price has struggled through 2022 so far.

It’s currently 20% lower than it was at the start of this year. It’s also 13% lower than it was this time last year.

The post This ASX communications share just grew revenue by 150% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX small cap shares landing on an expert’s buy list

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. owns and has recommended Frontier Digital Ventures Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Frontier Digital Ventures 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 Ardent Leisure Group Ltd (ASX: ALG) share price is soaring today after the company reported positive half-year results.

Shares in the leisure and entertainment company are currently swapping hands at $1.585, an 18.28% gain.

Let’s take a look at what may have impacted the company’s share price today.

Ardent Leisure share price surges on half-year results

Highlights from the H1 FY22 results include:

• 55.3% reduction in net loss after tax from $82.3 million in the prior corresponding period (pcp) to $36.8 million
• 993% improvement on earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to $43.6 million
• 331% improvement in EBITDA excluding specific items to $41.8 million
• Revenue surged 100.2% to $275.5 million
• No dividend for FY22

What else happened in the half?

The surge in total operating revenue was driven by a strong performance in the Main Event business. Theme Parks and Attractions revenue also soared by 41% due to higher pass sales and turnout.

The higher EBITDA excluding specific items was largely underpinned by a strong performance of the United States business.

The board did not declare a dividend for FY22 due to “ongoing uncertainty in the current environment”.

Ardent Leisure’s Main Event revenue and EBITDA eclipsed H1 FY20 pre-COVID-19 levels, driven by constant centre total revenue growth of 20.1%. There was also a 39.5% increase in walk-in revenue.

A new centre in Chesterfield, Missouri performed above expectations, with the company now operating 45 centres in 16 US states.

The Theme Parks and Attractions business, which includes Dreamworld, WhiteWater World and SkyPoint on the Gold Coast, reported a 41% surge in operating revenue on the pcp.

However, domestic and international border restrictions continued to impact turnout at the theme parks during the half.

On a positive note, since Queensland borders opened in December, recovery momentum has started to build. Total attendances jumped 17% on the pcp, while the value of annual passes improved by 40%.

A new Steel Taipan rollercoaster opened at Dreamworld in December 2021. Ardent Leisure said this has been popular with guests.

Management commentary

Commenting on the results driving the Ardent Leisure share price today, chairman Gary Weiss said:

We are pleased to deliver another solid result for Ardent Leisure Group despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic.

Main Event has continued to perform above pre-COVID levels and we are optimistic that this positive momentum will continue into second half of FY22.

Strong trading performances in the Main Event business, and a disciplined approach to capital and operational expenditure in Theme Parks and Attractions have allowed the Group to maintain a solid financial position.

What’s next?

Positive momentum in Ardent Leisure’s Main Event business has improved liquidity, setting the business up well for future growth. The Main Event business plans to open up three new centres in the second half of FY22.

The Theme Parks and Attractions business is “optimistic” on the outlook for the future. Easing of government restrictions and improving COVID-19 sentiment is expected to unlock demand in the local and interstate markets.

Commenting on this increasing demand, Theme Parks and Attractions CEO Greg Yong said:

The reopening of the borders and lifting of some restrictions in late December was warmly welcomed however this coincided with the Omicron wave and difficulties related to state government COVID testing and isolation requirements.

Despite this, the business has seen increased ticket sales and attendances for the period, with January and February results suggesting demand is improving for leisure experiences.

Ardent Leisure share price summary

The Ardent Leisure share price has soared 147% in the past year, while it is gaining around 17% year to date.

In the past week, it has jumped around 17%, while it is up 25% in the past month.

For perspective, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has returned 2.46% over the past year.

Ardent Leisure has a market capitalisation of $758 million.

The post Dream result: Ardent Leisure (ASX:ALG) share price soars 18% on earnings appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• This ASX communications share just grew revenue by 150%
• Adbri (ASX:ABC) share price soars 9% amid higher profit in full-year earnings
• Why is the Kogan (ASX:KGN) share price is crashing 20% on Friday?
• Is opportunity knocking? 2 ASX All Ordinaries shares hitting 52-week lows
• ‘Transformational’: Bigtincan (ASX:BTH) share price ignites on 142% revenue jump

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 Adbri Ltd (ASX: ABC) share price is soaring after the company released its full-year results for the year ending 31 December 2021.

In it, the construction material producer revealed an increase in profit and revenue and a final dividend of 7 cents per share.

At the time of writing, the Adbri share price is up 9.3% at $3.30. To compare, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.38%.

So, what did Adbri reveal today to make its share price fly?

Adbri’s financial results for 2021

The Australian producer’s full-year financial results were as follows:

• Revenue (from continuing operations) up 8% to $1.56 billion
• Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) up 18% to $174.9 million
• Net profit after tax (NPAT) up 25% to $116.7 million
• Net debt at $437.4 million.

The company acknowledged an impact on its margins due to COVID-19. As such, it saw a drop in EBITDA margin from 18.7% in 2020 to 17.5%.

Due to these difficulties, it also saw $16.2 million in “non-recurring COVID and operational costs”, which were “partially offset by targeted cost savings netting $13.6 million”.

Adbri will pay a final fully franked dividend of 7 cents per share on 11 April.

This, along with its interim dividend payment for the year, accounts for a payout ratio of 68.5% of underlying NPAT.

The company has a trailing price to earnings ratio (P/E) of 16.8.

During the 2021 calendar year, the Adbri share price fell 15.8%.

What’s next for Adbri?

Looking forward, the company has climate change front of mind.

In five years, the company aims to bring down its greenhouse gas emissions by 7%, and to use 50% of kiln fuel from alternative South Australian sources.

Since 2019, it has achieved a 4% reduction, 2% of which was achieved last year. It also saw 25% of its fuel source achieved as per its FY19 baseline target.

In a press release this morning, managing director and CEO Nick Miller said: “We are progressing the roadmap for our aspiration to achieve net zero Greenhouse Gas emissions by 2050.”

Commenting further on the 2021 results, Miller said:

The result is particularly pleasing in the context of significant COVID related challenges and disruption during the year.

Mining and construction demand remain buoyant while the construction materials sector is benefiting from a strong pipeline of infrastructure projects and residential construction approvals.

Adbri remains in a robust financial position with resilient cash flow and a strong balance sheet. Investment grade metrics and available liquidity of $453.7 million ensure we remain well funded to continue with transformative strategic initiatives that drive improved asset performance and operational efficiency, supporting higher shareholder returns over the long term.

Adbri share price snapshot

Since the beginning of 2022, the Adbri share price has increased by 13.8%. To compare, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) has decreased by 2%.

The Adbri share price saw a 52-week high of $3.87 in August 2021 and a 52-week low of $2.70 at the end of January.

The company has a market capitalisation of $1.96 billion.

The post Adbri (ASX:ABC) share price soars 9% amid higher profit in full-year earnings appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why the CSR (ASX:CSR) share price is on this broker’s top 2022 buy list

Motley Fool contributor Alice de Bruin 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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Just when you thought the Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) share price couldn’t fall any further, this morning the ecommerce company’s shares crashed 20% to a new 52-week low of $4.50.

When the company’s shares hit that level, it meant they were down 72% from their 52-week high.

The Kogan share price has recovered a touch this afternoon but remains down 13% to $4.88 at the time of writing.

Why is the Kogan share price crashing again?

Investors have been selling down the Kogan share price today following the release of a disappointing half year result from the online retailer.

For the six months ended 31 December, Kogan reported a 1.3% lift in revenue to $419.5 million. However, this growth was entirely from acquisitions, with its core operations going backwards during the half.

For example, the Kogan.com business reported a 17.3% decline in revenue to $325.7 million following a 11.2% decline in Exclusive Brands revenue and a 33.5% drop in Third-Party Brands revenue.

This was despite Kogan boasting a 10.4% year on year increase in active customers to 3,314,000 (excluding Mighty Ape) and a 176% lift in Kogan First loyalty customers to over 274,000 subscribers.

It was only thanks to the inclusion of the Mighty Ape business, which was acquired in December 2020, that Kogan’s overall revenue didn’t decline.

How should this be interpreted?

There are a number of possible (negative) ways that investors could interpret this data. This may explain some of the weakness in the Kogan share price today.

Firstly, if customer numbers are rising but revenue is falling, then a company is simply generating less revenue per customer. And given how the Kogan First loyalty program is designed to make customers spend more, it doesn’t appear to be having the desired effect despite management’s big investment.

Another thing to consider is that Kogan explains that the term active customers “refers to unique customers who have purchased in the last twelve months.” This could mean that some of these active customers have been inactive during the first half and are therefore in danger of dropping off in the second half.

Investors may be fearing a scenario that sees Kogan report falling active customers for the first time since listing.

Swinging to a loss

Also putting pressure on the Kogan share price today was its margin weakness.

Due to spending big to grow the aforementioned Kogan First loyalty program and battling high variable costs associated with warehousing/higher inventory levels, Kogan swung from a profit to a loss during the half.

On the bottom line, the company reported a net loss after tax of $11.9 million. This is down $35.5 million from a first half profit of $23.6 million a year earlier.

Investors will no doubt be hoping for better in the second half. But judging by the Kogan share price performance today, not all of them are willing to stick around to find out if that happens.

The post Why is the Kogan (ASX:KGN) share price is crashing 20% on Friday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Kogan (ASX:KGN) share price in limbo amid $11.9m first half loss
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Is the Kogan (ASX:KGN) share price a bargain buying opportunity?
• Why Shopify’s latest update could raise red flags for e-commerce shares like Kogan (ASX:KGN)
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

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 Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Kogan.com 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 All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is on a bit of a rollercoaster today.

At time of writing, the index is up 0.6% after almost dipping into the red in the early lunch hour.

This comes after investors, spooked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, hit the sell button yesterday. That saw the All Ordinaries close for a 2.8% loss for the day.

While the index is clawing back some of its losses, these 2 All Ordinaries shares are heading sharply in the other direction.

2 ASX All Ordinaries shares hitting 52-week lows

First up we have Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS). The ASX tech shares provides software solutions for the wealth management, life insurance, and funds administration industries.

The Bravura share price is down more than 17% today, sinking it to 52-week lows to $1.56.

This comes on the back of the release of its half year financial results today. While the reporting period saw some strong figures, management downgraded its net profit after tax (NPAT) guidance for the full 2022 financial year.

With the Bravura share price now down 47% in 12 months, is opportunity knocking on this beaten down All Ordinaries share?

According to Goldman Sachs it may well be. The broker has a buy rating on the stock, with its most recent price target (issued 24 November 2021) for Bravura of $3.70 per share. That’s 137% above the current price.

Also hitting 52-week lows

Our second ASX All Ordinaries share hitting 52-week lows today is healthcare services provider, Integral Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: IDX).

The Integral Diagnostics share price is down 12% today to $3.45 per share. That brings its 12 months losses to 29%.

This comes after the company emerged from a 2-day trading halt today and following the release of its half year results yesterday, along with the announcement that it had agreed to acquire Peloton Radiology. While the results were solid, the company’s dividend payout slipped.

Catch a falling knife? Or opportunity knocking?

According to Goldman Sachs, this All Ordinaries share also could be an opportunity.

Yesterday the broker had a buy rating on Integral Diagnostics, with a price target of $5. That’s 45% above the current share price.

The post Is opportunity knocking? 2 ASX All Ordinaries shares hitting 52-week lows appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Battered: Bravura (ASX:BVS) share price slides 17% on reduced guidance
• Integral Diagnostics (ASX:IDX) share price on ice after trio of big announcements
• 2 ASX shares to buy for dirt cheap right now: expert

The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Bravura Solutions Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Bravura Solutions Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Integral Diagnostics 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 Bigtincan Ltd (ASX: BTH) share price is firing on all cylinders today.

At the time of writing, shares in the sales enablement platform provider are up 13% to 83 cents.

Investors are getting behind Bigtincan after it achieved record results in the first half of FY22. Let’s take a closer look at the details.

Bigtincan share price takes flight on outstanding growth

• Record revenue of $45.9 million, up 142% over the prior corresponding period
• Annualised recurring revenue (ARR) up 132% to $112 million
• Adjusted EBITDA reaches $1.2 million from $3.6 million loss in prior period
• Lifetime value up 98% to $741 million
• Net retention firms 2% to 107%
• Brainshark acquisition completed

What else happened during the first half?

The first half was dominated by the company’s acquisition of Brainshark — a deal valuing the US-based sales enablement business at A$116 million. Since then, shareholders have been waiting to see whether this acquisition was a great catch, or if Bigtincan bit off more than it could chew.

In a promising sign, the Brainshark acquisition has now been completed and the company is said to be benefitting from it. For example, Bigtincan highlighted synergies as a key driver for the company’s improvement in adjusted EBITDA.

In addition, cross-selling of services with Brainshark helped improve its net retention ratio to 107%. Not to mention, the $19.6 million revenue contribution. These positive indicators are being met with a strong Bigtincan share price today.

Notably, the record revenue result has not been detrimental to the composition of subscription-based revenue. Instead, subscription-based made up 98% of Bigtincan’s record $45.9 million revenue in the first half.

Regarding customers, it was another big six-month period of locking in new customer wins and expansions. Some of these included deals with Reddit, Clorox, T-Mobile, Delta Airlines, and Guess.

What did management say?

Summarising Bigtincan’s performance during the half, CEO David Keane said:

1H FY22 was a transformational period for Bigtincan as we announced, completed and executed on the Brainshark acquisition to further build on our investments in creating a leading platform for sales enablement on a global scale.

Thanks to the ongoing execution of our global team, during the Half Bigtincan was able to demonstrate our ability to improve operating metrics, realise growing efficiency and continue to create the technology that customers love.

What’s next?

Offering an optimistic outlook, the company relayed to investors that it is well-positioned to continue its momentum into the second half. This was accompanied by Bigtincan’s reassurance that it is on track to surpass $119 million in ARR and $109 million in revenue for FY22.

Heading into the second half, Bigtincan held $49.86 million in cash and cash equivalents. This represents a reduction of ~11%. However, total current assets increased ~22% on the prior half, mainly due to a $17.6 million upwards movement in ‘trade and other receivables’.

Bigtincan share price snapshot

Despite the green display today, the Bigtincan share price remains in the negative over the past 12 months. The company’s share struggled to find support since announcing the Brainshark acquisition back in August last year.

Shares are down 14.5% compared to the same time a year ago. Underperforming the benchmark index by approximately 17%.

The post ‘Transformational’: Bigtincan (ASX:BTH) share price ignites on 142% revenue jump appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended BIGTINCAN FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BIGTINCAN FPO. 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 Novonix Limited (ASX: NVX) share price is on the move today after the company released its interim report and financial results for the half-year ended 31 December 2021.

At the time of writing, the Novonix share price is charging 4.77% higher at $5.05.

It comes after Novonix announced on Thursday it would be ringing the closing bell to mark the successful completion of its NASDAQ listing.

Novonix share price spikes amid earnings growth

The Novonix share price is rising on the back of the battery technology and materials company’s H1 FY22 results. Key takeouts include:

• Revenue from contracts with customers of $4 million, up from $2.325 million the same time last year
• Net assets of $374.05 million at 31 December 2021, well up from $136.7 million a year ago
• Reported statutory after-tax loss for the half-year of $28.8 million, more than the loss of $10.77 million in H1 FY20
• Added to the constituents of the S&P/ASX 300 Index in September 2021
• Loss on earnings per share (EPS) of 6.5 cents
• Cash and cash equivalents of $259.5 million at end of period compared to $25.3 million at the same time last year
• Commenced trading on the NASDAQ stock market in the US in February 2022

What else happened this period for Novonix?

Back in July 2021, Professor Jeff Dahn joined as chief scientific advisor to the company, and the company also announced it had finalised the purchase of a 400,000 square-foot facility in Tennessee.

Novonix says this site is “planned to be the site for expansion to at least 10,000 tonnes per year of production capacity”.

The facility’s opening was celebrated in December and was attended by the US Secretary of Energy, Jennifer M. Granholm, the company said.

In the following month, Novonix advised that US-listed Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) invested a 16% stake in the company in a vote of confidence.

Novonix notes Phillips’ move will help on “advancing [its] production of synthetic graphite for high-performance lithium-ion batteries”.

To cap out the half, the company announced some exciting preliminary results from an assessment of its Anode Material’s GX-23 synthetic graphite product. The data showed the product “offers an approximate 60% decrease in CO2 emissions in a lifecycle assessment”.

Since rolling into the new year, positive momentum has continued for Novonix. The company signed another agreement with Phillips 66 in January, developing technology that will “advance the production and commercialisation of anode materials for lithium-ion batteries”.

Finally, the company successfully completed the listing of its American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) on the American NASDAQ stock exchange this month.

What’s next for Novonix?

With respect to its cathode minerals division, Novonix is working to meet key testing milestones over the next 12-18 months.

It is doing so while pushing through the next phase of pilot-scale with “a 10 tonnes per annum capable demonstration line coming online in 2022”.

At Mount Dromedary, the “high grade (18%+) natural graphite deposit located in Australia”, Novonix says management is conducting a strategic review of the graphite deposit asset.

Novonix also entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement and a Supply Agreement with KORE Power on 31 January 2022. There it purchased 3.33 million shares in KORE Power for US$25 million, representing an approximate 5% stake, for 50% cash and 50% by issuing 1,924,723 shares.

No specific earnings guidance was provided by Novonix in its earnings report today.

Novonix share price snapshot

In the last 12 months, the Novonix share price has gained more than 52%. However, it is down more than 45% this year to date. During the past month of trading, shares have collapsed another 39%, and Novonix is thus trailing the broad indexes this year.

The post Novonix (ASX:NVX) share price jumps as net assets, cash earnings spike appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 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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