Tag: Motley Fool

  • Could buying this ASX growth stock at $2.17 be like investing in Apple in 2014?

    A young woman sits on her bed holding a cup of coffee inside her recreational vehicle hired through the Camplify websiteA young woman sits on her bed holding a cup of coffee inside her recreational vehicle hired through the Camplify website

    Despite already being a massive company in 2014, Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares have rocketed since then.

    The computing giant has impressively come up with new innovations consistently to keep the demand for its products perpetually growing.

    Ten years ago, the Apple share price was hovering around the US$18 mark.

    If you had the foresight to buy US$20,000 of stock at that price, just 10 years later, it would now be worth US$216,866.

    That’s better than a 10-bagger in the space of just a decade. A decade in which Apple spent a significant time as the largest company in the world.

    Just amazing.

    So is there an ASX growth stock that could emulate Apple?

    Let’s check out Camplify Holdings Ltd (ASX: CHL).

    Australia’s version of AirBnB?

    Camplify is an online platform for owners of recreational vehicles to lend them out to strangers, generating cash when otherwise they would sit unused.

    In simple terms it has been described as Airbnb Inc (NASDAQ: ABNB) for RVs.

    The company listed on the ASX in June 2021 after an initial public offering (IPO) that saw shares sold at $1.42 each.

    Camplify shares are now going for around $2.17.

    Why does it have potential to be a multibagger in the coming years?

    The business is growing rapidly.

    Check out these numbers from the 2023 financial year compared to the year before:

    • Revenue up 126%
    • Net loss down 66%
    • Cash flow per share improved from negative 13.1 cents to positive 4.8 cents

    And professional investors are bullish on Camplify.

    According to CMC Invest, both Canaccord Genuity and Morgans rate the ASX growth stock as a strong buy.

    Can it become a 10-bagger over the next decade though?

    Of course, no one can definitively answer that.

    But what I can tell you is that over the past 10 years, Apple has never grown its revenue 126% in the space of just one year.

    Camplify, at a much earlier stage of its life, has the potential to do anything.

    The post Could buying this ASX growth stock at $2.17 be like investing in Apple in 2014? 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…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 10 November 2023

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

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  • Top tier ASX income stocks I’d consider buying in January!

    A woman in a hammock on her laptop and drinking a smoothieA woman in a hammock on her laptop and drinking a smoothie

    Many ASX income stock dividend yields have jumped higher amid the higher interest rate environment. While investors can get a better return from savings accounts these days, the yields on offer look too good to ignore.

    When share prices fall, it means we can buy businesses at a cheaper valuation. It has the bonus effect of pushing up the yield on offer. For example, if a business has a 6% dividend yield and the share price drops 10%, the yield becomes 6.6%!

    Why do interest rates matter?

    Legendary investor Warren Buffett once explained the importance of interest rates very well:

    The value of every business, the value of a farm, the value of an apartment house, the value of any economic asset, is 100% sensitive to interest rates because all you are doing in investing is transferring some money to somebody now in exchange for what you expect the stream of money to be, to come in over a period of time, and the higher interest rates are the less that present value is going to be. So every business by its nature…its intrinsic valuation is 100% sensitive to interest rates.

    With that in mind, these two ASX income stocks trading at lower prices look exciting for income investors.

    Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

    This is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns a variety of different properties, all of which are on long leases.

    Let’s start with the potential income. The business has guided that it’s going to pay a distribution per security of 26 cents, which translates into a forward yield of 7.2%.

    The ASX income stock has a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of 11 years and an occupancy rate of 99.9%, so it’s generating a lot of long-term rental income, which is good for investors wanting stable income.

    Its properties include telecommunications exchanges, service stations, high-quality office and retail, Bunnings buildings, logistics and so on.

    Around half of its leases are linked to CPI inflation, while the other half of leases have (for FY24) a fixed 3.1% rental increase. This creates a solid growth rate of the rental income for the company, helping offset the higher debt cost.

    Metcash Ltd (ASX: MTS)

    Metcash supplies many independent retailers with food and drink. Its customers include IGA, Cellarbrations, The Bottle-O, IGA Liquor, Porters Liquor, Thirsty Camel, Big Bargain Bottleshop and Duncans.

    What excites me most is the hardware division which owns brands including Mitre 10, Home Timber & Hardware and Total Tools. It also supports independent operators under the small format convenience banners Thrifty-Link Hardware and True Value Hardware.

    The company is committed to a dividend payout ratio of 70% of underlying net profit after tax (NPAT). According to Commsec, the ASX income stock is expected to pay a grossed-up dividend yield (including franking credits) of 8.2% in FY24.

    I believe the food and liquor divisions offer defensive earnings which can help fund its large dividend. The hardware division faces the most headwinds in the short term because of the wider economy, but a reduction of interest rates could reignite stronger demand in 2025 or 2026.

    The post Top tier ASX income stocks I’d consider buying in January! 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…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 10 November 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Metcash. 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 Metcash. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

    Ten smiling business people wave to the camera after receiving some winning company news.

    Ten smiling business people wave to the camera after receiving some winning company news.

    It’s turning into a stellar week indeed for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) this week, with the markets sealing another rise (albeit a small one) to make it three for three up days in a row.

    The ASX 200 inched higher over Wednesday’s trading (despite a brief dip into negative territory) and put on 0.057%, leaving the index at 7,519.2 points.

    This happy Tuesday for ASX shares follows a more muted night over on the American markets early this morning.

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had a Tuesday to forget, declining by 0.25%.

    The Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) had a far better time of it though, and bounced an encouraging 0.43% higher.

    But let’s now return to the local markets and see how today’s tentative gains affected the various ASX sectors’ trading.

    Winners and losers

    We had a fairly even mix of winners and losers today.

    Starting with the losers, it was the tech sector that took out the crown of thorns this session. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) had a horrible day, tanking by a hefty 1.15%.

    Next on the hitlist were healthcare stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) had a weak showing too, declining by 0.75%.

    Consumer discretionary shares came in just behind that, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) sliding 0.74%.

    Consumer staples stocks weren’t doing much better. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) ended up losing 0.68% of its value.

    Then we had ASX financial shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) was another sore spot, declining 0.43%.

    Industrial stocks were also on the nose, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ)’s fall of 0.21%.

    Our final loser was the energy space, but this barely counts as the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) lost less than 0.01%.

    Turning now to the winners, and today’s gains were led by gold stocks. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) had a huge day, leaping 2.71% higher.

    Mining shares also had some time in the sun, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) surging 1.31%.

    Real estate investment trusts (REITs) followed miners, with the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) vaulting 0.97% higher.

    Utilities shares were also in demand, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ)’s lift of 0.93%.

    And our final winner was the communications sector. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) had a mild win, gaining 0.04%.

    Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

    Today’s top-performing share on the stock market was lithium company Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA). Sayona shares spiked a pleasing 10% on the dot up to 4.4 cents each.

    That was despite no fresh news out of the company recently. However, we did see a happy update from another lithium stock here, which could have played a role.

    And here are this Wednesday’s other winners:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) $0.044 10.00%
    Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX: ILU) $7.19 8.45%
    Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) $1.91 7.00%
    Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN) $1.085 6.90%
    Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) $12.81 6.04%
    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) $3.46 5.81%
    Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) $1.855 4.51%
    Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) $6.05 4.49%
    Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC) $0.585 4.46%
    Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) $1.715 3.63%

    Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

    The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares 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…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 10 November 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why did this ASX All Ords stock sink 6% after a high growth quarter?

    A young woman sits at her desk in deep contemplation with her hand to her chin while seriously considering information she is reading on her laptopA young woman sits at her desk in deep contemplation with her hand to her chin while seriously considering information she is reading on her laptop

    Most companies inside the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) pushed higher on Wednesday. However, one ASX All Ords stock failed to gain traction following the release of its second-quarter activities report for FY2024.

    More peculiar is that this company is coming under selling pressure despite posting a significant increase in revenue. The negative reception hints at another facet within the figures weighing on investors’ minds.

    As we tick past the closing bell, shares in Chrysos Corporation Ltd (ASX: C79) have shed 5.5% to $7.21. The mining technology company has had a ripper run since debuting on the ASX in 2022. However, today’s report appears to have poured some cold water on the excitement.

    Delays dampen a good quarter

    Before we dive into the thick of it, here are several key figures from the quarter:

    • Total revenue up 57% year on year to $10.1 million
    • Sample volume up 29% year on year to 1 million
    • Deployed PhotonAssay units up 71% year on year to 24
    • Minimum monthly assay payments up 77% to $8.9 million

    By no means was the second quarter a failure for this ASX All Ords stock. The company responsible for an innovative alternative to fire assays — a way of determining the concentration of minerals inside ore — is growing rapidly as it continues to roll out its testing units to customers.

    Chrysos is making in-roads with major gold miners, such as Barrick Gold, an achievement highlighted by the managing director and CEO Dirk Treasure. Commenting on the noteworthiness, Treasure stated:

    The second Quarter of FY24 was a significant period for Chrysos, marked by the continuing validation of our PhotonAssay technology by one of the world’s largest gold miners, Barrick Gold, as well as our increased funding facility with the CBA, and the successful completion of our $75m institutional Placement, which received strong support from new and existing investors.

    Yet, the enthusiasm among shareholders appears to have been pacified by a hindered outlook for FY24.

    The full-year FY2024 revenue is tracking at the lower end of the originally forecasted range of $48 million to $58 million.

    Furthermore, there is an ’emerging risk’ of failing to achieve the company’s goal of at least 18 PhotonAssay deployments in FY24. The cause is ‘customer site readiness and contractor availability’ challenges.

    Fortunately, management expects delayed deployments to be picked up in the first quarter of FY25.

    What about the valuation of this ASX All Ords stock?

    Despite the rapid growth rate, there is a chance onlookers were hoping for even more.

    The Chrysos share price has ascended 96% over the past year as the market potential began to resonate. As a result, the company’s market capitalisation has swollen to $875 million, reflecting a forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of nearly 17 times, based on FY24 estimates.

    It can be challenging to value any company during such a high-growth period. Sometimes, it can lead to expectations getting ahead of reality. Perhaps investors were pondering this very thought today when looking at the stock price of this ASX All Ords company.

    Shares in Chrysos Corporation are now down 14% for the year.

    The post Why did this ASX All Ords stock sink 6% after a high growth quarter? 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…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 10 November 2023

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

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  • Morgans names 7 small-cap ASX shares to buy for earnings season

    A man holding a cup of coffee puts his thumb up and smiles while at laptop.

    A man holding a cup of coffee puts his thumb up and smiles while at laptop.

    Analysts at Morgans have been running the rule over the market ahead of earnings season next month.

    One area of the ASX that the broker has been looking at is the small cap space.

    The good news for investors that dabble with the small side of town is that its analysts believe that the tide is turning for small cap ASX shares, making now a great time to make some investments.

    The broker commented:

    Small-caps continue to look constructive. Small-caps have historically bounced hardest upon confirmation of a flattening-out in the rates cycle. Several ingredients remain in place supporting a rebound in this space (rates, trading/fundamentals, sentiment/positioning). We think the tide is turning for small-caps, and now is an opportune time to build exposure to forgotten small-caps.

    Which small cap ASX shares?

    Morgans has named a total of seven forgotten small cap ASX shares that it likes for earnings season. They are as follows:

    Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: CUV)

    Morgans has an add rating and $22.00 price target on this biopharmaceutical company’s shares.

    Credit Corp Group Limited (ASX: CCP)

    The broker has an add rating and $18.75 price target on this debt collector’s shares.

    DGL Group (ASX: DGL)

    This industrial solutions company’s shares have an add rating and $1.05 price target on them.

    Helloworld Travel Ltd (ASX: HLO)

    Its analysts have an add rating and $4.26 price target on this travel company’s shares.

    IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH)

    This intellectual property services company’s shares have an add rating and $8.15 price target on them.

    Veem Ltd (ASX: VEE)

    Veem is a designer and manufacturer of disruptive, high-technology marine propulsion and stabilisation systems for the global luxury motor yacht, fast ferry, commercial workboat, and defence industries. Morgans’ last rating on the company was an add rating and $1.00 price target.

    Vulcan Steel Ltd (ASX: VSL)

    Morgans has an add rating and $9.00 price target on this steel manufacturer’s shares.

    The post Morgans names 7 small-cap ASX shares to buy for earnings season 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…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 10 November 2023

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

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  • Man guilty of illegally making $770,000 in a day with ASX shares

    business man with hands handcuffed behind backbusiness man with hands handcuffed behind back

    A Western Australian man has pleaded guilty to insider trading after being caught making $770,000 in a single day with his ASX shares.

    At Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Thursday, Cameron Waugh pleaded guilty to one count of applying for shares while in possession of inside information. 

    He now faces a potential 15 years’ imprisonment, as that was the maximum penalty at the time of the offence in 2021.

    Bought ASX shares while he had information not available to the public

    The court heard that Waugh was a corporate advisor at Omnia in 2021 when he came across a funding proposal for placement of shares for Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD).

    He was also privy to a plan that would see Raleigh Finlayson and Neville Power joining the gold miner’s board through a restructure.

    In the period between 14 to 21 September, while all that information was not yet publicly known, Waugh bought up 747,626 shares in Genesis Minerals.

    The stock price during that time varied between 71 and 74 cents. Assuming the highest price, he would have spent $553,243.

    On 22 September, the miner made an announcement to the ASX that revealed the stock placement and the board restructure.

    That day Genesis shares rocketed 187%, to close at $1.77.

    Waugh’s holding was instantly worth $1.32 million.

    After the guilty plea, the case has been transferred to the Supreme Court of Western Australia, where sentencing will take place on 26 March.

    Genesis shares on Wednesday afternoon were trading at $1.60.

    According to CMC Markets, four out of six analysts currently rate the gold miner as a strong buy.

    The post Man guilty of illegally making $770,000 in a day with ASX shares 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…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 10 November 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Woolworths share price in the red as CEO denies trying to ‘cancel’ Australia Day

    A man looks a little perplexed as he holds his hand to his head as if thinking about something as he stands in the aisle of a supermarket.A man looks a little perplexed as he holds his hand to his head as if thinking about something as he stands in the aisle of a supermarket.

    The Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) share price is in the red today.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) supermarket giant closed yesterday trading for $36.42. In afternoon trade on Wednesday, shares are swapping hands for $36.23 apiece, down 0.5%.

    For some context, the ASX 200 is up just 0.05% at this same time.

    Factoring in today’s intraday loss, the Woolworths share price is down 3.3% since the opening bell rang on 2 January. Over that same period, shares in rival Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) have dropped 2.6%.

    Which indicates that, to date, the ASX 200 retail stock hasn’t suffered significant investor backlash for its decision not to stock Australia Day-related merchandise. Nor has it benefited.

    CEO says Woolies isn’t trying to cancel Australia Day

    Despite any immediate, apparent impact on the Woolworths share price, CEO Brad Banducci released a media statement today saying, “We aren’t trying to ‘cancel’ Australia Day.”

    He said that the company’s decision not to sell Australia Day merchandise “was made on the basis of steeply declining sales” of those items in past years.

    Banducci added:

    Rather than stocking imported Australian-themed merchandise, Woolworths is focused on what we do best 365 days of the year – providing the best of Australian fresh food for Australia Day long weekend gatherings with family and friends and working hard to ensure we deliver great value. 

    Earlier today, Banducci told news radio’s Ben Fordham on 2GB that he was “sorry about how we communicated it, our decision was a straightforward commercial one” (quoted by The Advertiser).

    Continuing with the damage control initiatives on Nine’s Today Show, Banducci denied that Woolworths was an “anti-Australian” company.

    “We are a very proud Australian company. “We’ve been around for 100 years,” he said.

    As for Woolworths’ 178,000 “hard-working team members”, Banducci said, “I do feel anxious about the impact that this is having on our team.”

    He added, “They are proud, hard-working Australians, and for them to be seen as anti-Australian or woke is fundamentally unfair.”

    Woolworths share price snapshot

    The Woolworths share price is up 4% over the past 12 months.

    The post Woolworths share price in the red as CEO denies trying to ‘cancel’ Australia Day 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…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 10 November 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Coles Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Is the Pilbara Minerals’ interim dividend at risk of being axed?

    Two miners standing together.Two miners standing together.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares are regaining some recently lost ground today despite the danger of its next dividend disappearing.

    As the second half of hump day rolls over, shares in the lithium producer are finding a comfortable position above $3.46. The gain of 6.1% makes it one of the best performers among lithium companies with a market capitalisation of $500 million or more.

    However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows flowing from the quarterly update today. It’s quite the opposite for those seeking an income from the Perth-based mining company. Let’s take a look into why that might be.

    Where art thou dividends?

    The news shared by Pilbara Minerals is a double-edged sword. As covered by my colleague, James Mickleboro, the Pilgangoora project owner wants to retain a strong and healthy balance sheet through this downturn in lithium prices.

    Between the September and December quarters, Pilbara Minerals saw its cash balance shrink from $3 billion to $2.1 billion. Most of this stemmed from a $758 million tax payment, but it never hurts to have more cash heading into potentially stormy conditions.

    Positively, the company appears to be taking a conservative approach to ensure it can maintain its expansion efforts even through a sustained period of lower spodumene prices. The consequence, though, is the need to cut back somewhere else.

    Firstly, capital expenditure (CapEx) will be tapered back on ‘non-essential new projects’ in FY24. This will see CapEx reduce from between $875 million to $975 million down to between $820 million to $875 million.

    According to the update, Pilbara Minerals’ interim dividend could also be on the chopping block. As noted in the release, “In order to further preserve the Group’s balance sheet position while it continues to invest in the P680 and P1000 projects, It is unlikely that a dividend will be paid for the half-year ended 31 December 2023.”

    The board has yet to make an official decision. However, a determination will be announced alongside the release of its first-half results.

    If a dividend were to be paid, the excess cash flow implies a payment of $70 million to $110 million, depending on the payout ratio — ranging from 20% to 30%. Based on the current number of shares outstanding, this would infer 2.3 cents to 3.65 cents per share in dividends.

    For context, Pilbara Minerals paid an interim dividend of 11 cents per share in 2023.

    No reward for Pilbara Minerals shorters on dividend blow

    Despite pulling the upcoming dividend into question, short sellers of Pilbara Minerals shares are getting burned today.

    The lithium-languished company sat in pole position as the most shorted ASX share heading into this week. As previously reported, 21.4% of Pilbara Minerals shares were sold short, according to the latest data.

    As the Pilbara Minerals share price rips 6% ahead in the afternoon, those shorters would feel worse for wear.

    The post Is the Pilbara Minerals’ interim dividend at risk of being axed? 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. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Would Warren Buffett buy Appen shares after a 99% drop?

    A young man goes over his finances and investment portfolio at home.

    A young man goes over his finances and investment portfolio at home.

    Things have dramatically gone from bad to worse for Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) shares in 2024 so far.

    Not that it looks like it from today’s share price movements. At present, the ASX artificial intelligence (AI) share has rocketed a seemingly lucrative 15.8% to 33 cents a share.

    Saying that, Appen is still down almost 30% from where it was last Friday. The company has also lost almost 74% of its value in 2024 alone (just 24 days of it anyway).

    If you have been unfortunate enough to have held Appen shares since the company’s August 2020 peak of above $35 a share, you’d now be looking at a loss of over 99%.

    This week’s losses seem to be a result of the less-than-illustrious announcement Appen made on Monday.

    As we covered at the time, this saw the company admit that it has lost a valuable contract with  Google, owned by global tech titan Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL). Google has terminated its global inbound services contract with Appen and all joint activity is set to be wound up by 19 March this year.

    As we covered at the time, Appen made US$82.8 million in revenue from Google over FY2023. So this was a huge loss for the company and explains the massive punishment investors have inflicted on Appen shares as a result.

    So this brings us to the question: Are Appen shares a buy after losing more than 99% of their value over the past three years or so?

    After all, legendary investors like Warren Buffett tell us that the best buying opportunities can come when a company is “on the operating table”.

    Would Warren Buffett buy Appen shares today?

    Well, I don’t think he would. In fact, I think it would take around five seconds for Buffett to throw the idea in the proverbial trashcan.

    Buffett has not been secretive about the kinds of companies he likes to invest in over the years. He looks for strong companies in a financially sound position, that clearly possesses a moat, or intrinsic competitive advantage.

    Appen arguably has none of these traits. It is anything but financially sound, having tapped investors twice over the past 12 months for additional capital. Any investor who acceded to these requests would be ruing their decision today, given the shares have continued to crater in value.

    Additionally, it’s arguable that the big tech companies that Appen caters to are more and more reluctant to continue the relationship, going off of Google’s decision.

    As my Fool colleague Tristan posited last year:

    Appen has gone through so much pain since 2020. It says it’s going through headwinds, yet the large US tech players seem to be going from strength to strength. Appen’s appeal seems to have been lost for both clients and investors.

    I couldn’t agree more. And I suspect Buffett would feel the same. As he’s often said, Buffett likes to choose the six-inch bar to step over, rather than the six-foot bar. An Appen bull case looks like a sixty-foot bar from where I’m standing.

    The post Would Warren Buffett buy Appen shares after a 99% drop? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Appen, and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • AFIC share price wobbles despite dividend hike

    A man looking at his laptop and thinking.

    A man looking at his laptop and thinking.

    The Australian Foundation Investment Co Ltd (ASX: AFI) share price has had a bit of a case of the wobbles so far this Wednesday. AFIC shares closed at $7.47 yesterday and opened at that same pricing this morning before promptly falling down as low as $7.41.

    At the time of writing, the listed investment company (LIC) has recovered and is right back to where it started today’s session at $7.47 a share.

    This bouncy day for the AFIC share price comes after the venerable LIC revealed its latest results covering the half-year ended 31 December 2023 this morning before market open.

    What did AFIC report for the half-year?

    It was a bit of a mixed bag for AFIC today. The company reported that its portfolio returned 9% (including dividends and franking) for the six months to 31 December. That outperformed its benchmark – the S&P/ASX 200 Accumulation Index (ASX: XJOA) – which returned 8.3% over the same period.

    AFIC’s portfolio also returned 1.6% in the 12 months to 31 December. That’s in addition to an average of 9.9% per annum over the preceding three years. This extends to 12% per annum over the last five and 8.7% over the past ten.

    Some significant changes to AFIC’s investment portfolio during the half year include new positions in Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN). The company also bought more shares of Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) and CSL Limited (ASX: CSL).

    Meanwhile, AFIC sold down a number of shares too. Those included Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX) and Ansell Ltd (ASX: ANN).

    However, AFIC also reported a profit after tax of $150.1 million. That was down 8.3% from the $163.5 million reported over the same period in 2022.

    Likewise, AFIC’s revenue from operating activities fell 5.4% to $168.4 million.

    However, that didn’t stop AFIC from revealing an increase in its next dividend payment. Investors can look forward to bagging an interim dividend worth 11.5 cents per share, fully franked, on 26 February next month. That’s a 4.55% rise in the 11 cents per share payment shareholders enjoyed in February 2023.

    Together with AFIC’s September final dividend of 14 cents per share (also fully franked), this will give AFIC shares a forward dividend yield of 3.41% at the current AFIC share price.

    AFIC shares are now up 0.54% year to date. But still down 1.84% over the past 12 months.

    The post AFIC share price wobbles despite dividend hike appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in CSL, National Australia Bank, and Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ansell and CSL. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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