Tag: Motley Fool

  • Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price on watch as New Zealand travel returns

    Large airplane on tarmac

    The Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price will be in focus today as travel between Australia and New Zealand is reportedly going to restart.

    What’s happening with borders?

    According to reporting by News.com.au, quarantine-free travel from New Zealand’s South Island will restart next week.

    Chief medical officer Paul Kelly said travel can restart because there have been no locally-acquired COVID cases since last year.

    However, travel from the North Island won’t happen until the end of the month.

    Both NSW and Victoria have agreed to this plan, though it remains to be seen what will happen with the other states.

    News.com.au quoted Mr Kelly:

    There is very good work being done to stop people from the North Island going to the South Island, so that is not a risk.

    We hope to allow anyone who’s been in the South Island of New Zealand, whether they’re Australians, New Zealanders or other nationalities, to come in quarantine-free.

    There are some Australians who have been stuck in the South Island New Zealand for quite some time and we’d welcome them home.

    How easy will it be for passengers to get into Australia?

    It was reported that, according to the Department of Health, people travelling from New Zealand will need to take a pre-departure PCR test within 72 hours of their flight and show evidence they are fully vaccinated.

    Those potential passengers will also need to declare that they hadn’t been in New Zealand’s North Island for the prior two weeks.

    It was also announce that Singapore and Australia are in talks to open quarantine-free travel. It is in “rapid development”.

    What could this mean for the Qantas share price?

    The Qantas profit has been impacted heavily by the limited number of passengers it has been able to transport since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. But it’s expecting a recovery.

    In just FY21 it saw an underlying loss before tax of $1.83 billion and a statutory loss before tax of $2.35 billion. Qantas said at the time that it had suffered a $12 billion revenue impact from COVID-19 in FY21.

    Despite all of those impacts, it saw statutory net free cashflow of $267 million in the second half of FY21. It also said that its restructuring program was ahead of target, delivering $650 million in year one.

    Around 95% of domestic flying was cash positive and a record performance by Qantas Freight “mostly” offset the cost of idling international operations.

    Talking about FY22, Qantas said that it was expecting group domestic capacity to reach 110% of pre-COVID capacity in the second half of FY22. As Australia’s international borders open, it was expecting capacity to reach 30% to 40% in the third quarter and 50% to 70% in the fourth quarter.

    Its recovery plan is expected to deliver an additional $200 million of cost benefits. Qantas was also expecting a continuing strong cash contribution from its Qantas loyalty division, with plans to offer more ways to earn points and status credits on the ground.

    Domestic freight demand is expected to remain strong. However, international freight ‘belly space’ is expected to be constrained until international capacity stabilises.

    After the recent sale of land, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said that it would use those $802 million of funds to pay down debt. He also said:

    The restart date for international travel has been brought forward and the thresholds for domestic borders opening in most states should be reached in the next two months. We know there is a lot of pent-up demand that we’re ready to capitalise on, with some strong signs already.

    The post Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price on watch as New Zealand travel returns appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    The online investing service he’s run for 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 Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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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  • Aristocrat (ASX:ALL) share price halted for $5bn Playtech acquisition

    gaming asx share price rise represented by slot machine paying jackpot

    The Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) share price won’t be going anywhere on Monday.

    This morning the gaming technology company requested a trading halt.

    Why is the Aristocrat Leisure share price paused?

    This morning Aristocrat requested a trading halt so that it could undertake an equity raising to fund a major acquisition.

    According to the release, the company has made a cash offer to acquire London-listed leading global online gambling software and content supplier, Playtech, for $5 billion.

    This represents a valuation multiple of 11.4x Playtech’s adjusted EBITDA for the twelve months ended 30 June 2021.

    Management believes the acquisition will accelerate Aristocrat’s growth strategy over the medium term and deliver sustainable shareholder value. It is expected to be mid to high single digit earnings per share accretive during the first full year of ownership.

    The good news for the company is that the Playtech Board is unanimously recommending that its shareholders vote in favour of the deal. Playtech directors who own Playtech shares have irrevocably undertaken to vote in favour of the takeover.

    In addition, Aristocrat has received letters of intent or irrevocable undertakings from a number of major Playtech shareholders, including Playtech’s largest shareholder. Combined, a total of approximately 63.4 million shares will be voting in favour of the deal, representing approximately 20.7% of Playtech’s outstanding shares.

    What is Playtech?

    Playtech comprises two key business segments: Business-to-Business gambling (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer gambling (B2C).

    Playtech’s B2B gambling operations include the design, development, and distribution of software and services to the online and land-based gambling industry. It covers all key online real-money gaming (online RMG) segments, including casino, live casino, poker, bingo and sports betting, monetising via a revenue share model.

    Playtech’s B2C gambling operations predominantly consists of Snaitech (Italy), a vertically integrated retail and online business leveraging Playtech’s proprietary technology and capabilities. As a leading Italy-based multi-channel gaming operator, it is free of any meaningful channel conflict with Aristocrat’s existing operations. Other B2C brands include HPYBET and SunBingo. HPYBET is Playtech’s retail sports betting B2C business, operating betting shops in Austria and Germany.

    Equity raising

    The release explains that Aristocrat expects to fund the acquisition with $1.1 billion of existing cash, a $2.8 billion Term Loan B issuance, and $1.3 billion equity raising. The latter will be via an underwritten pro rata accelerated renounceable entitlement offer with rights trading. This is to provide the fairest possible structure for Aristocrat shareholders.

    These funds will be raised at $41.85 per new share, which represents an 8.6% discount to the Aristocrat Leisure share price at Friday’s close.

    Trading update

    Also potentially giving the Aristocrat Leisure share price a boost upon its return is its trading update.

    The release notes that Aristocrat expects its NPATA to come in at $864 million in FY 2021 . This will be an 81.1% increase year on year. This strong growth reflects positive performances across all its operations during the 12 months.

    The Aristocrat Leisure share price is up 46% in 2021.

    The post Aristocrat (ASX:ALL) share price halted for $5bn Playtech acquisition appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Aristocrat Leisure right now?

    Before you consider Aristocrat Leisure, 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 Aristocrat Leisure 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 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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  • 2 ASX 200 dividend shares to buy now

    happy woman throws arms in the air

    Are you looking for some dividend shares to boost your income portfolio?

    If you are, then you might want to look at the ones listed below. Here’s why these ASX 200 dividend shares could be in the buy zone:

    Australia and New Zealand Banking GrpLtd (ASX: ANZ)

    ANZ could be an ASX 200 dividend share to buy if you’re looking for exposure to the banking sector. This is due to the prospect of generous and growing dividends in the coming years thanks to its improving performance, cost reduction plans, and its strong balance sheet.

    The team at Morgans see a lot of value in the bank’s shares and have an add rating and $34.50 price target on them.

    As for dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of $1.45 in FY 2021 and then $1.65 in FY 2022. Based on the current ANZ share price of $27.87, this will mean yields of 5.2% and 5.9%, respectively.

    Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

    Another ASX 200 dividend share to look at this month is Transurban. This leading toll road operator owns a collection of important roads in Australia and North America such as CityLink in Melbourne and the Cross City Tunnel and Eastern Distributor in Sydney. It also recently announced an agreement to acquire the remaining stake in WestConnex from the NSW government.

    The last 18 months have been tough for the company due to COVID-19 headwinds. However, with the end of lockdowns and a return of international travel in sight, traffic volumes on its roads are expected to rebound strongly over the next 12 months.

    Ord Minnett is positive on the company. Its analysts currently have a buy rating and $16.20 price target on its shares. The broker is also forecasting dividends per share of 43 cents in FY 2022 and then 64 cents in FY 2023.

    Based on the current Transurban share price of $13.69, this will mean yields of 3.1% and 4.7%, respectively.

    The post 2 ASX 200 dividend shares to buy now 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. 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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  • 3 punished ASX shares that could come roaring back

    A surprised and curious male investor drinks black coffee while reading the latest news on rising ASX shares in the newspaper

    While the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has risen more than 50% from the COVID-19 low in March 2020, there are some ASX shares that have gone down the gurgler.

    For some, the price plunge was entirely self-inflicted, while for others external forces conspired to bring down their prospects.

    However, with NSW now reaching 80% double-vaccination coverage and about to end quarantine for incoming travellers, will these ASX shares return to their pre-COVID glory?

    One market commentator certainly thinks there are some beaten-up ASX shares that might reward long-term investors.

    “Patience is an asset,” said Switzer Financial Group founder Peter Switzer on Youtube.

    “You can try and trade by buying a stock and flipping it once you’re happy with the gain that you’ve made. But timing can be tricky, just like betting on the four-legged lottery on Melbourne Cup day.”

    Here are 3 punished stocks that Switzer holds out hope for.

    ‘Huge customers’ and ‘certainly believable’ potential

    Nuix Ltd (ASX: NXL) only listed in December but its shareholders might feel like they’ve lived through a lifetime this year.

    After an initial public offering (IPO) that saw Nuix shares issued at $5.31, the software company shot up above $11 in January before a series of financial downgrades and governance scandals deflated momentum.

    On Friday, Nuix shares finished the session at $2.58 but Switzer suspects this low might be a buying opportunity.

    “Analysts believe the company has a target price that suggests it could go up 156%,” he said.

    “Even if they’re only half-right, I’d be happy with half of 156%.”

    Nuix provides analytics software that allows large institutions, like law enforcement, to make sense of huge troves of unstructured data, such as emails.

    “It has huge customers in both the public and the private domain and it was a hugely successful company until all this misreporting really lowered the boom,” said Switzer.

    “The potential for the company still is certainly believable.”

    ASX share with 77% upside potential

    Machine learning services provider Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) has seen its shares drop 73% over the past year.

    The company has lost revenue from its mainly US-based clients, who have withdrawn non-essential spending since the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic.

    But Switzer still has faith in Appen’s long-term prospects.

    “This is a company that’s really well-positioned for the future of business, because it’s in artificial intelligence, it’s in machine learning — and it’s got some pretty big customers out there,” he said.

    “This is a company that, when business gets back to normal, it’ll actually start to improve.”

    According to Switzer, 4 of the big broking houses have a target price well above Friday’s closing share price of $9.65. The lowest is $11 from Credit Suisse, while Citi is the most bullish at $17.

    If Appen reaches Citi’s price target, investors buying at Friday’s price will gain 76%.

    Give this stock one more year before you give up

    Of course, long-term investing doesn’t mean one should recklessly hold onto a stock out of blind faith.

    Sometimes, if a business has changed for the worse, you have to cut it loose to prevent further damage to the portfolio.

    A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) shares have lost 66% since their July 2020 highs due to the company’s Chinese sales channel plummeting because of international travel bans.

    But Switzer reckons shareholders should give it a bit more time before completely condemning the stock.

    “I don’t know when A2 Milk will be out of the woods but I am going to give it another year,” he said.

    “This is a quality company … the future will look good for this company, but it just might take some time before that future comes to reality.”

    The post 3 punished ASX shares that could come roaring back 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

    Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo owns shares of A2 Milk and Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Nuix Pty Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended A2 Milk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • 3 highly rated ASX growth shares to buy

    3 asx shares to buy depicted by man holding up hand with 3 fingers up

    If you’re planning to add some growth shares to your portfolio, then you may want to look at the shares listed below.

    All three of these ASX growth shares have been tipped as buys recently. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

    The first ASX growth share to look at is Breville. It is the leading appliance manufacturer behind a collection of brands including Sage and the eponymous Breville brand. Over the last decade, the company has been growing at a solid rate. This has been driven by acquisitions, its international expansion, and its continued investment in research and development. The latter is ensuring that Breville has a strong and innovative product portfolio that resonates well with consumers.

    Morgans is positive on the company’s long term growth outlook. As a result, its analysts currently have an add rating and $34.00 price target on its shares.

    Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

    Another highly rated ASX growth share to look at is Life360. It is the growing technology company behind the Life360 mobile app. This is an app used by 32.3 million people each month (an increase of 28% year on year), offering features such as communications, driver safety, and location sharing. Life360 has also recently expanded into the wearables market, increasing its total addressable market and opening up cross selling opportunities. This and the further monetisation of its customer base looks set to underpin strong revenue growth in the coming years. As of Life360’s last update, the company’s annualised monthly revenue (AMR) was up 36% to US$105.9 million.

    Bell Potter is fan of the company. It currently has a buy rating and $10.75 price target on Life360’s shares.

    PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH)

    A final growth share for investors to look at is PointsBet. It is a sports wagering operator and iGaming provider with operations in the ANZ, Canadian, and US markets. PointsBet offers innovative sports betting products and services via its scalable cloud-based platform. It has been growing at a rapid rate thanks to the increasing popularity of mobile sports betting and innovative new products.

    Goldman Sachs currently has a buy rating and $14.75 price target on the company’s shares. It is positive on PointsBet’s long term growth prospects due to its massive US opportunity.

    The post 3 highly rated ASX growth shares to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider PointsBet, 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 PointsBet 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 Life360, Inc. and Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pointsbet Holdings 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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  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

    Smiling man with phone in wheelchair watching stocks and trends on computer

    On Friday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form and finished the week on a positive note. The benchmark index rose 0.7% to 7,362 points.

    Will the market be able to build on this on Monday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to rise

    The Australian share market looks set to start the week on a positive note. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 31 points or 0.4% higher this morning. This follows a strong end to the week on Wall Street, which saw the Dow Jones rise 1.1%, the S&P 500 climb 0.75%, and the Nasdaq push 0.5% higher.

    Oil prices rise

    Energy producers such as Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) could have a solid start to the week after oil prices rose on Friday night. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1.2% to US$82.28 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price has risen 1% to US$84.86 a barrel. Oil prices climbed to three-year highs amid supply deficit forecasts.

    Rio Tinto named as a buy

    The Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price could be in the buy zone according to analysts at Goldman Sachs. In response to its third quarter update, the broker has put a buy rating and $122.40 price target on the mining giant’s shares. It said: “We note the new guidance is in-line with GSe and the Sep Q production was overall in-line or a touch better than GSe.”

    Gold price sinks

    Gold miners Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could start the week in the red after the gold price tumbled lower on Friday night. According to CNBC, the spot gold price fell 1.7% to US$1,768.30 an ounce. Improving investor sentiment appears to have weighed on the safe haven asset.

    Iron ore price falls

    BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) shares will be on watch after the spot iron ore price softened on Friday night. According to Metal Bulletin, the benchmark iron ore price fell 0.5% to US$125.22 a tonne. This iron ore price recorded a small weekly gain during another volatile week.

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday 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. 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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  • 2 excellent ASX tech shares tipped for big things

    digital screen of bar chart representing asx tech shares

    The tech sector is home to a number of companies with strong growth potential.

    Two that are highly rated are listed below. Here’s what you need to know about these tech shares:

    Adore Beauty Group Limited (ASX: ABY)

    The first tech share to consider is Australia’s leading online beauty retailer, Adore Beauty.

    Though, calling it just an online beauty retailer is a bit of a disservice as it is so much more. Since launching in 2000, Adore Beauty has evolved into an integrated content, marketing and e-commerce retail platform that partners with a broad and diverse portfolio of approximately 260 brands and 10,800 products.

    It has been growing strongly over the last few years and this has continued in FY 2022. Adore Beauty released its first quarter update last week and reported a 25% increase in revenue to $63.8 million. This was underpinned by a 24% jump in active customers to 874,000 and returning customer growth of 63%.

    Positively, even when annualised, this is just a fraction of the beauty and personal care (BPC) market in Australia which is estimated to be worth $11.2 billion. Furthermore, it is expected to grow at a 26% CAGR through to 2024.

    Morgan Stanley is a fan of the company. It currently has an overweight rating and $6.00 price target on its shares.

    Nitro Software Ltd (ASX: NTO)

    Another ASX tech share to look at is Nitro Software. It is a software company that is aiming to drive digital transformation in organisations around the world with its Nitro Productivity Suite. The Nitro Productivity Suite provides integrated PDF productivity and electronic signature tools to customers through a horizontal, software-as-a-service, and desktop-based software solution.

    In FY 2021, Nitro is aiming for annualised recurring revenue (ARR) of between US$39 million and US$42 million. This will be up strongly year on year but still well short of its total addressable market which is estimated to be $28 billion.

    The team at UBS are very positive on Nitro. Last week they initiated coverage on the company with a buy rating and $4.70 price target. The broker believes Nitro’s ARR could surpass US$100 million by FY 2024.

    The post 2 excellent ASX tech shares tipped for big things appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Nitro, 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 Nitro 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 recommended Adore Beauty Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nitro Software 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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  • Could the Oil Search (ASX:OSH) share price hit $5 by the end of 2021?

    oil and gas worker checks phone on site in front of oil and gas equipment

    The Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH) share price has been outperforming the market in 2021.

    Since the start of the year, the energy producer’s shares have risen an impressive 20%.

    This is double the return of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the same period.

    Could the Oil Search share price hit $5.00 by the end of the year?

    Pleasingly for shareholders, one leading broker believes the Oil Search share price could keep rising from here.

    According to a recent note out of Ord Minnett, its analysts have a buy rating and $5.20 price target on its shares.

    Based on the current Oil Search share price of $4.52, this implies potential upside of 15% for investors before dividends.

    Ord Minnett is also forecasting a dividend of 13.3 cents per share in FY 2022. If we add this into the equation, it will bring the total potential return to ~18%.

    All in all, the broker clearly sees the potential for Oil Search shares to be trading at $5.00 or even higher by the end of the year.

    Why is it positive on the company?

    Ord Minnett has been pleased with the company’s performance in FY 2021. Particularly with its earnings outperformance during the first half and its much stronger than expected free cash flow.

    In addition, the broker is very positive on its proposed merger with fellow energy producer Santos Ltd (ASX: STO).

    Its analysts think the merger is a good idea and expects it to create value for both sets of shareholders.

    For this reason, Ord Minnett also has a buy rating on Santos shares with a price target of $8.05. In fact, Santos is the broker’s top pick in the sector right now.

    The post Could the Oil Search (ASX:OSH) share price hit $5 by the end of 2021? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Oil Search right now?

    Before you consider Oil Search, 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 Oil Search 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

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  • Could the Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) share price hit $13.50 by Christmas?

    A woman smiles as she crosses the tarmac, happy to be boarding a plane at the airport and travelling again.

    Could it be possible for that Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price to fall to less than $14 before Christmas?

    There are plenty of brokers out there that have price targets for Flight Centre shares that are less than the current level.

    However, there is one broker that has a particularly negative outlook for the ASX travel share.

    What is the Flight Centre share price target?

    The broker Ord Minnett has a price target of just $13.72. That implies the broker believes that Flight Centre shares could fall by around 40% over the next 12 months.

    It’s not just COVID-19 impacts that the broker is thinking about. Ord Minnett is taking into account how the travel agency industry has changed and is changing. The broker believes that Flight Centre’s margins are going to be impacted and it needs to cut expenses to ensure that its profit isn’t materially hurt.

    Despite that, Ord Minnett thinks that Flight Centre is going to return to making profit in FY23 as well as paying a dividend.

    The broker has pencilled in a dividend of around $0.14 per share in FY23.

    At the current Flight Centre share price, Ord Minnett believes that it’s valued at 48x FY23’s estimated earnings.

    However, not all brokers are as negative on Flight Centre. One of the most recent broker ratings is a neutral rating from UBS, with more positivity due to the higher vaccination coverage. The UBS price target on Flight Centre is $18.85.

    UBS reckons that Flight Centre shares are valued at 32x FY23’s estimated earnings.

    How is the ASX travel share performing?

    Over the last two months the Flight Centre share price has risen by around 60%.

    In reporting season, the company said that it generated an underlying loss in line with its guidance at $507 million.

    However, the business noted that the recovery was/is gaining momentum, particularly in the corporate sector and in the US.

    It said that it was achieving month on month revenue growth despite COVID-19 impacts. Corporate total transaction value (TTV) was tracking at 40% of pre-COVID levels globally by the year end. It also experienced a “rapid” leisure and corporate recovery in the US late in the further quarter.

    Flight Centre said that it was targeting a return to monthly profitability in both corporate and leisure during FY22.

    The company mentioned that thr profitability forecast included the resumption of further international travel, with the potential “material benefit” from the trans-Atlantic reopening.

    It was only in the last couple of days that the US has announced that it’s going to open up its borders to vaccinated passengers from dozens of countries, who won’t have to quarantine. Those countries include the UK, India, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and so on.

    The US is also opening up its land borders with Canada and Mexico for fully vaccinated foreign nationals.

    The post Could the Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) share price hit $13.50 by Christmas? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Flight Centre right now?

    Before you consider Flight Centre, 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 Flight Centre 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 Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Should you buy ANZ (ASX:ANZ) shares in October for the dividend yield?

    If you’re an income investor and don’t already have meaningful exposure to the banking sector, then the Australia and New Zealand Banking GrpLtd (ASX: ANZ) dividend could be worth considering.

    That’s the view of one of Australia’s leading brokers.

    Why might the ANZ dividend be a good option?

    According to a recent note out of Bell Potter, its analysts are very positive on the big four bank and expect the ANZ dividend to grow at a decent rate in the coming years.

    The broker has pencilled in a fully franked $1.30 per share dividend in FY 2021. After which, it is forecasting increases to $1.40 per share in FY 2022 and then $1.50 per share in FY 2023.

    Based on the current ANZ share price of $27.87, this will mean yields of 4.7%, 5%, and 5.4%, respectively, over the three financial years.

    But the returns don’t stop at the ANZ dividend. Bell Potter also sees decent upside for the bank’s shares over the next 12 months.

    Where is the ANZ share price heading from here?

    The note reveals that Bell Potter currently has a buy rating and $31.00 price target on the company’s shares.

    Based on where the ANZ share price finished the week, this suggests that there’s potential upside of 11% for investors. And if you add the ANZ dividend into the equation, the total potential return stretches to approximately 16%.

    That’s not bad at all considering the ANZ share price is already smashing the market in 2021. Its shares are up an impressive 21% since the start of the year compared to a gain of 10% for the ASX 200.

    Fortunately, judging by what Bell Potter is saying, it doesn’t appear to be too late for income investors to pick up shares when the market reopens next week.

    The post Should you buy ANZ (ASX:ANZ) shares in October for the dividend yield? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider ANZ, 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 ANZ 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 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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3DI9k2E