Tag: Motley Fool

  • Why is the BrainChip (ASX:BRN) share price springing 13% today?

    man pointing up at a rising red line which represents a growing share price

    Shares in Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN) are driving northwards and are currently trading 13% higher on the day at 69.5 cents apiece.

    Whilst there’s been no market-sensitive information released by the company today, Brainchip shares have bounced from 61 cents in the past 2 days and are now up 13% this week. Read on for more.

    What’s up with the Brainchip share price today?

    Investors are piling into Brainchip today after trading flat over the last week. Shares are trading on a volume of 172% of their 4-week average, with a total of 20,845,092 Brainchip shares changing hands today.

    The market took notice last Monday when Brainchip announced it had signed a partnership with Japanese firm MegaChips Corporation (TYO: 6875) to design and manufacture Brainchip’s Akida technology.

    Adding the Akida technology to MegaChips’ products will deliver a plethora of benefits to both parties, Brainchip says.

    Shares in the company were placed into a trading halt two days later before Brainchip added a few additional layers of information on the MegaChips deal.

    In addition to the upfront license fee, Brainchip has the ability to generate additional revenue under the agreement. These funds can be obtained from royalties on the sale of products to MegaChips’ customers as a percentage of the net sales on select products.

    Aside from this, additional revenue can be earned via license fees for application specific product developments, project fees for proof of concept development projects with MegaChip’s customers for specific custom networks; and fees for support services and licensing of software associated with the Akida intellectual property.

    The remaining terms of the agreement are subject to strict confidentiality provisions as between Brainchip and MegaChips, according to the announcement.

    Brainchip anticipates that it will recognise aggregate revenue of approximately US$2 million under the agreement over the current financial year and the financial year ending 31 December 2022.

    It also expects to obtain further revenue from the license fee and additional revenue opportunities noted above in subsequent financial years.

    Referencing the deal in its update, the company said:

    Brainchip considers that this agreement is highly significant to its growth strategy as it not only provides a licensing fee for its Akida technology but also provides broader opportunities to generate revenue from MegaChip’s substantial global customer base which it would be unlikely to be able to access directly.

    Brainchip share price snapshot

    In the past 12 months, the Brainchip share price has gained more than 93% after rallying a further 62% this year to date.

    It has soared over 51% over the past month as well and is up more than 12% for the week.

    The post Why is the BrainChip (ASX:BRN) share price springing 13% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Brainchip Holdings right now?

    Before you consider Brainchip Holdings, 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 Brainchip Holdings wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

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

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  • This fundie is picking GitLab shares as the next potential 10x opportunity

    A man in a suit and glasses guffaws at his computer screen in bewilderment.

    Investors are spoilt for choice today as the Sohn Hearts & Minds Investment Conference delivers plenty of portfolio ideas. While all of the stock picks are believed to be offering potentially market-beating returns, the most ambitious might be Yen Liow’s selection — GitLab Inc (NASDAQ: GTLB) shares.

    Today, the managing partner of Aravt Global informed attendees of his high conviction in GitLab. However, Liow’s estimated upside to the DevOps platform company is the real elephant in the room. In sharing his top pick for 2022, the fund manager noted the opportunity for GitLab to 10x in value in the coming decade.

    Interestingly, Liow stumbled upon the company while researching Atlassian Corporation (NASDAQ: TEAM) — a company that has generated a monstrously good return in its own right. While Atlassian hones in on one specific piece of the DevOp stack, GitLab offers an end-to-end solution.

    What is GitLab?

    GitLab is for the software developers and coders out there. At its core, the company’s product allows developers to store their code online. This allows developers to collaborate on projects together remotely.

    However, this is only one piece of the puzzle. In addition, developers are able to plan, manage, create, verify, package, secure, monitor, and release their code (among other things) using the GitLab platform. For those that aren’t privy to the world of code, this essentially means people who code have nearly all the tools needed in the one place.

    In describing the potential of the GitLab share price and the company, Liow said:

    We kept on hearing from our conversation with our developers in the community that this company has fantastic software which they believe will become one of the emergent standards for years to come.

    Imagine getting onto Atlassian at the start of the ride. We believe that company is GitLab

    At present, the DevOps industry operates in what Liow describes as a duopoly between GitLab and Microsoft’s GitHub. At this stage, there is no DevOps offering that provides developers with a one-stop shop for their coding needs. However, Liow expects GitLab is the best-positioned company to solve this problem.

    Investing in GitLab shares

    Another attractive feature in the eyes of the fundie is GitLab’s track record of growth. Over the last seven years, the company has been growing at almost 70%. As a result, GitLab now boasts a run rate of nearly $230 million a year. On top of that, it has maintained a high gross margin of 88% as it expands its customer base.

    The proposition for investing in GitLab shares in Liow’s words is “software developers are among the most valuable employees in the world and that they will be an extremely valuable place to sell software into”.

    Shares in the US-listed tech company are valued at US$91.23 a pop.

    The post This fundie is picking GitLab shares as the next potential 10x opportunity 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 more than eight 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 August 16th 2021

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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 shares of and has recommended Atlassian. 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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  • Boost your portfolio in 2022 with these popular ASX ETFs

    ETF spelt out

    With the end of the year rapidly approaching, investors may be starting to think about their investment options for 2022.

    If ETFs are of interest to you, then the two listed below could be worth considering next year.

    Here’s what you need to know about these popular ETFs:

    Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

    The first ETF for investors to consider in 2022 is the hugely popular Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF. As its name implies, this ETF aims to track the performance of the famous tech-focused NASDAQ-100 Index.

    BetaShares notes that with its strong focus on technology, the ETF provides diversified exposure to a high-growth potential sector that is under-represented in the Australian sharemarket. Among the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF’s largest holdings are Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Facebook/Meta, Intel, Intuit, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, PayPal, and Tesla.

    Unsurprisingly, given the quality on offer here, this ETF has smashed the market over the last five years. During this time, it has generated a return of 27.8% per annum for investors.

    VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

    Another top ETF for investors to look at for 2022 is the VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF.

    When legendary investor Warren Buffett looks for an investment, he prefers companies with sustainable competitive advantages or moats. So, if you’re wanting to replicate Buffett’s style of investment, this ETF would be a good option.

    The VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF tracks an index intended to offer exposure to attractively priced companies with sustainable competitive advantages. Among the ~50 companies included in the fund are the likes of Alphabet, Amazon, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Meta, Microsoft, Philip Morris, Salesforce, and Wells Fargo.

    As companies with moats have historically generated strong returns for investors, it will come as no surprise to learn that the index this ETF tracks has done the same. Over the last five and 10 years, it has outperformed the market with returns of 20.2% and 21.6% per annum, respectively.

    The post Boost your portfolio in 2022 with these popular ASX ETFs 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 more than eight 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 August 16th 2021

    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 shares of and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. 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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  • Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    ASX shares Business man marking buy on board and underlining it

    It has been another busy week for Australia’s top brokers. This has led to the release of a large number of broker notes.

    Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

    BWX Ltd (ASX: BWX)

    According to a note out of UBS, its analysts have initiated coverage on this personal care products company’s shares with a buy rating and $5.50 price target. UBS is feeling positive on the Sukin owner’s international expansion thanks to some recent agreements with major retailers such as Walmart and Chemist Warehouse. The BWX share price is trading at $4.22 today.

    Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG)

    Another note out of UBS reveals that its analysts have upgraded this property listings company’s shares to a buy rating with a $5.80 price target. This follows the release of CoreLogic data which revealed a significant jump in property listings during November. In addition, the broker believes recent weakness in the Domain share price has pulled it down to attractive levels. The Domain share price is fetching $5.29 on Friday.

    Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

    Analysts at Citi have retained their buy rating and $13.80 price target on this wine company’s shares. This follows an analyst event with the management team of the company’s Penfolds business. Citi was pleased with what it heard and appears positive on the outlook of the business. In addition, the broker is a fan of the Frank Family Vineyards acquisition and sees potential for it to expand Treasury Wine’s market share in the luxury wine category and assist it with plans to reach a 25% margin. The Treasury Wine share price is trading at $11.80 on Friday.

    The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Treasury Wine right now?

    Before you consider Treasury Wine, 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 Treasury Wine wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    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 recommended BWX Limited and Treasury Wine Estates 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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  • Marquee Resources (ASX:MQR) share price leaps 17% on ‘spectacular’ drilling results

    The Marquee Resources Ltd (ASX: MQR) share price rocketed almost 17% this afternoon after the company announced impressive diamond drilling results.

    The Marquee Resources share price is up 12.5% trading at 13.5 cents at the time of writing, after earlier soaring 16.67% to an intraday high of 14 cents.

    In today’s release, the company gave an update on progress drilling 42 holes at its Lone Star Copper-Gold Project in Washington, United States.

    What did the diamond drilling reveal?

    Marquee Resources is still in the early stages of its diamond drilling at Lone Star. In fact, the results released to the market on Friday revealed initial findings from the first two drill holes. These samples then need to be taken to the laboratory for testing.

    The miner advised it has found “massive” amounts of chalcopyrite-pyrite (sulphide) mineralisation within the diamond drill core.

    Marquee executive chairman Charles Thomas said:

    We are delighted with some of the spectacular core we are seeing from the first drill holes at Lone Star.

    It’s obviously early stages, but to see some wide zones of chalcopyrite-pyrite mineralisation is certainly very exciting and we can’t wait to receive the first batch of assays which I have ordered to be double rushed.

    While these are just preliminary findings, the company is planning to drill around the clock and complete all 42 holes by the first quarter of 2022.

    What is worth knowing about this explorer?

    Lone Star is just one of many mines in the United States that Marquee Resources is exploring for minerals.

    In November, the company announced it would acquire both the Lone Star mine in Washington and The Kibby Basin Lithium Project in Nevada.

    Marquee Resources also has interest in mining projects in Argentina, Western Australia, Canada and the Clayton Valley, Nevada.

    Marquee Resources share price snapshot

    The company has impressed investors in the year to date, with a massive surge in the Marquee Resources share price over the past month and a 100% lift since January.

    Shares in the company hit a high of 15 cents on 15 November, while the yearly low was 5.1 cents on 25 June.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $22 million at the time of writing.

    The post Marquee Resources (ASX:MQR) share price leaps 17% on ‘spectacular’ drilling results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Marquee Resources right now?

    Before you consider Marquee Resources, 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 Marquee Resources wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    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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  • If this is volatility, bring it on

    Scared looking people on a rollercoaster ride, just like the Afterpay share price in recent months.

    So, this has been a bumpy week on the ASX.

    And on global markets.

    Traders seem to not know which way to jump, thanks to comments by the US Fed Chair, Jerome Powell, that inflation may not be transitory at all, and the new Greek letter we all learned over the past seven days, thanks to a mutation of the pandemic virus.

    So…

    I want you to remember that volatility isn’t unusual.

    I want you to remember that, just 20 short months ago, we had the fastest plunge — and recovery — in stock market history.

    I want you to remember that the list of ‘things to worry about’ is always long, and always breathlessly reported.

    And I want you to remember that as of June 30 this year, Vanguard tells us, $10,000 invested on the ASX three decades earlier had climbed to $160,000, a compound gain of 9.7%, per annum, despite 30 years of risks, real and imagined, and a whole heap of market, geopolitical and social ructions.

    (For the record, that’s before taxes and brokerage fees, but also not including franking credits.)

    And over that time?

    9 Australian Prime Ministers (including Kevin Rudd, twice).

    6 US Presidents.

    (in both cases, from either side of the House and the aisle.)

    Including the GFC, the GST, the Bali Bombing and the World Trade Center attacks.

    That 30 year period started with us in recession. And had one at almost the very end.

    It includes Brexit, the dot.com crash, and yes, the COVID crash.

    If I’d told you, in 1991, that those things would all happen in the next 30 years, you may not have invested.

    That would have been an almighty mistake.

    There is no shortage of reasons not to invest now.

    No shortage of ‘But what about…’ fears.

    Am I saying the next 30 years will be the same as the last 30 years?

    Yes.

    And no.

    I can’t make promises. It would make ASIC unhappy, but, more importantly, it would be deeply unethical and improper. No-one can ever predict the future. And the more certain someone’s prediction, the more wary of them you should become.

    But, asked for my expectations, I would tell you that I’m not sure why the future would be meaningfully different to the past.

    The last 30 years’ returns have been meaningfully similar to the 70 or so years before that.

    And if I was a betting man, I’d say the next 30 years’ worth of headlines (even if we’re getting them delivered in the Metaverse in 2051) will be similar in their breathless risk-bearing to the last 30.

    And I want to close by sharing a story written by our US colleagues in our Fool Wealth business.

    It’s a story about a US company. Lightly edited, here’s how it goes:

    “We looked at its daily share price performance from January 2011 through October 2021 and discovered several notable findings:

    “34% of the time, the company’s shares were 10% or more below their high.

    “308 trading days — more than one year of trading days — it was 20% or more below its high.

    “Four out of the last 10 calendar years — or 40% of the time — it underperformed the S&P 500.”

    Dud stock?

    Decent stock?

    Or have you worked out I’m setting you up for the big reveal?

    The company?

    Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) (I own shares).

    And the net result of being below a high for one-third of the last 10 years?

    The net result of being 20% down one-tenth of the time?

    The net result of losing to the market in 40% of those years?

    Well, according to my colleagues, over that ten year period Amazon’s value increased by roughly 1,800% (18 times!), which is a compound annual growth rate of over 31%.

    Again, I’m not predicting Amazon’s future will be the same. I own shares and we’ve recommended the company, but this isn’t a ‘buy Amazon’ pitch.

    It’s the backward-looking story of what long term success looked like, despite those less-than-flattering stats.

    Volatility?

    It’s here to stay.

    But so, I expect, are attractive long term returns, for patient, diversified investors.

    If you ride out the storms.

    Fool on!

    The post If this is volatility, bring it on 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 more than eight 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips owns shares of Amazon. 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 Amazon. 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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  • These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts this Friday

    busy trader on the phone in front of board depicting asx share price risers and fallers

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) seems to be on track to finish the week on a positive note. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is up 0.29% at 7,245 points.

    So let’s dig in and check out the ASX 200 shares currently topping the market trading volume charts, according to investing.com.

    3 most active ASX 200 shares by volume on Friday

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    ASX 200 lithium share Pilbara is our first cab off the rank today. This company has seen a hefty 13.37 million of its shares traded so far this Friday.

    There are no new developments out of Pilbara today, so we can probably put this high volume down to the nasty share price slide the company has seen. Pilbara is presently down 3.54% to $2.45 a share after a brief stint in positive territory this morning.

    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX :TLS)

    Telstra is our next share to check out this Friday. This ASX 200 telco has had a sizeable 21.54 million shares swap hands this Friday. Again, there’s not much in the way of official news or announcements out of this company today.

    So we can once again put this volume down to the actions of the Telstra share price. The telco is currently down 1.11% at $4.01 a share. Together with Telstra’s ongoing on-market share buyback program, this is probably why we are seeing Telstra appear on this list today.

    TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG)

    Our final and most traded ASX 200 share for this Friday goes to another telco. TPG has seen a massive 57.17 million shares bought and sold thus far on the markets today.

    This follows some drama my Fool colleague Tony covered this morning. TPG’s billionaire founder David Teoh has unloaded 20% of his stake in the company (worth about $335 million), causing some dramatic market moves.

    At present, the TPG share price is down a nasty 7.3% and is currently going for $6.14 a share. It’s this saga that is almost certainly behind this astronomical level of share volume we see today.

    The post These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts this Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in TPG Telecom right now?

    Before you consider TPG Telecom, 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 TPG Telecom wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Telstra Corporation 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 owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Corporation Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended TPG Telecom 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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  • What’s going on with the CSL (ASX:CSL) share price on Friday?

    A frustrated male investor frowns with his hands and arms open asking why the share price has dropped today

    The CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price is ending the week in the red.

    In late afternoon trade, the biotherapeutics company’s shares are down 2.5% to $297.97.

    Why is the CSL share price falling?

    Today’s decline by the CSL share price appears to be in response to speculation that the company is planning to acquire Swiss-based biotech company Vifor Pharma for ~$10 billion.

    Vifor Pharma develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products in iron deficiency, kidney-related and cardio-renal therapies.

    Overnight, the Vifor Pharma share price rocketed 21% higher on the Swiss stock exchange in response to the speculation. However, this morning CSL suggested that a deal was far from done.

    It commented: “CSL notes the recent speculation about CSL’s involvement in potential offshore M&A activity. CSL regularly assesses strategic opportunities that can improve its business, improve the health of people around the world and provide value to shareholders. There is no certainty that any transaction will result from CSL’s consideration of such opportunities and, if any transaction does result, when such a transaction would occur. CSL will keep the market informed in accordance with its continuous disclosure obligations, and otherwise does not intend to comment on such matters.”

    What has the reaction been?

    The team at Morgan Stanley has responded to the news. Depending on the funding mix for the potential deal, its analysts estimate that it could be low single digits earnings per share accretive in FY 2022.

    However, its analysts have warned that the company would need to find significant cost and revenue synergies to generate a meaningful benefit for shareholders.

    As a result, Morgan Stanley has held firm with its equal weight rating and $280.00 price target on the company’s shares.

    This lukewarm response could be what is weighing on the CSL share price today. Though, it is worth remembering that this view could change if and when a deal is made and the full terms are understood and modelled.

    The post What’s going on with the CSL (ASX:CSL) share price on Friday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and CSL wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    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 shares of and has recommended CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • What’s Appening? The Appen (ASX:APX) share price has tumbled 20% in 2 weeks

    Woman sitting at a desk shrugs.

    The Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) share price has been suffering lately amid a flurry of broker downgrades and recommendations.

    The company’s shares have tumbled just over 20% over the last fortnight despite the company’s silence.

    At the time of writing, the Appen share price is $9.70, 1.12% lower than its previous close.

    Let’s take a look at what might be weighing on the artificial intelligence (AI) data provider lately.

    Why is the Appen share price tumbling?

    The Appen share price might be being pushed around as brokers seemingly can’t agree on how to value the company’s stock.

    Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) downgraded the company’s stock last week, noting it thinks the company’s services are being sidestepped by its target market.

    As The Motley Fool Australia reported, Macquarie’s analysts spoke with industry participants about the company and found there’s a trend of large tech companies sourcing their own AI data. Thus, the broker believes demand for the company’s products will probably wane in the future, causing its revenue stream to slow.

    It slapped a $9.50 target on the Appen share price, significantly less than fellow broker Citi placed on it.

    In fact, Citi believes the company should be valued 80% more than Macquarie proclaimed.

    As my Foolish colleague James reported, Citi thinks the pandemic put pressure on Appen, but its future is looking bright. It thinks the company’s shares should be worth a whopping $17.10 apiece – 76% more that they’re currently trading at.

    So far, it seems Macquarie’s assertation is winning out. However, Appen’s slip isn’t unique.

    The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) has also fallen over the last fortnight, dropping 8%.

    Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Info Tech Index (ASX: XIJ) has also slid around 8% in the same timeframe.

    Right now, the Appen share price is 62% lower than it was at the start of 2021.

    The post What’s Appening? The Appen (ASX:APX) share price has tumbled 20% in 2 weeks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Appen, 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 Appen wasn’t one of them.

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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. owns shares of and has recommended Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s why Charlie Munger says crypto should have ‘never been invented’

    A ripped piece of paper with the Bitcoin logo.

    An increasing number of ASX investors have crypto on the brain.

    And for good reason.

    The world’s number 1 crypto by market cap, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), has gained 204% over the past 12 months. That far outpaces the 9% gains posted by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) since this time last year.

    Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), the world’s number 2 digital token by market valuation, has performed even better. Ether has gained 666% in 12 months.

    But not everyone’s impressed.

    Like Charlie Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett’s long-time right-hand man.

    Speaking at the Sohn Conference 2021, Munger likened the crypto surge to an insane boom.

    Why Munger wishes crypto didn’t exist

    Munger has long been a vocal critic of cryptos.

    At today’s conference he said (quoted by the Australian Financial Review):

    I wish they’d never been invented. And again I admire the Chinese, I think they made the correct decision, which was to simply ban them. In my country, English-speaking civilisation has made the wrong decision. I just can’t stand participating in these insane booms, one way or another.

    But aren’t most the well-known cryptos gaining in value? And indeed, aren’t they seeing a rapid increase in institutional adoption?

    Perhaps. But Munger said he approaches making money with a different attitude:

    It seems to be working; everybody wants to pile in, and I have a different attitude – I want to make my money by selling people things that are good for them, not things that are bad for them.

    Believe me, the people who are creating cryptocurrencies are not thinking about the customer, they’re thinking about themselves.

    What’s happening with Bitcoin and Ethereum today?

    Both the number 1 and number 2 crypto are slightly in the red at the time of writing.

    Ethereum is down 0.2% to AU$6,349. Bitcoin is also down 0.2% to AU$79,524.

    A fairly level day of trading for the notoriously volatile asset class.

    The post Here’s why Charlie Munger says crypto should have ‘never been invented’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum. 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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