Tag: Motley Fool

  • Why the Cettire (ASX:CTT) share price rocketed 24% higher on Friday

    Vanadium Resources share price person riding rocket indicating share price increase

    The Cettire Ltd (ASX: CTT) share price was an exceptionally strong performer on Friday.

    Thanks to a late buying flurry, the online retailer’s shares stormed 24% higher to hit a record high of $3.21.

    The Cettire share price eventually closed the day 22% higher at $3.17.

    Why did the Cettire share price rocket higher?

    The rise in the Cettire share price on Friday appears to be related to a leading US fund manager buying shares.

    According to a change in substantial holding notice which was filed after the market close, Cat Rock Capital has been increasing its stake in the company.

    The notice shows that the fund manager has picked up just under 4.5 million Cettire shares since the start of June. This brings its holding to a total of ~25.3 million shares, which is the equivalent of a 6.63% stake.

    Cat Rock Capital’s most recent purchase was on Thursday when the fund manager picked up 990,661 shares for a total consideration of ~$2.55 million. This represents an average purchase price of $2.57 per share.

    It is also worth noting that the last time the fund manager filed a change of substantial holding notice, it was buying shares the very next day. This could potentially mean that Cat Rock Capital was back in the market today topping up its holding even further.

    This would certainly go some way to explaining why the volume of shares was so much higher than normal today.

    Cat Rock Capital is known as an activist investor. Currently it is pushing the Just Eat Takeaway board to divest assets or explore a merger with a larger rival.

    It’s unclear at this point whether the fund manager sees opportunities to unlock value in the Cettire share price. Though, it certainly appears keen to build a sizeable position in the company, which would give it the opportunity to have some level of influence.

    The post Why the Cettire (ASX:CTT) share price rocketed 24% higher on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Cettire, 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 Cettire 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 Cettire Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cettire Limited. 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/3kJnpoQ

  • Top broker says A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price is a buy

    A clockface with the word 'Time to Buy'

    The A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price continued its slide on Friday.

    The fresh milk and infant formula company’s shares ended the day down 1% to $5.73.

    This means A2 Milk shares are now down 51% since the start of the year.

    Is the A2 Milk share price a bargain buy?

    While opinion is admittedly very divided on where the A2 Milk share price is going next, one top broker expects it to rebound higher.

    According to a recent note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have retained their buy rating but trimmed their price target on the company’s shares to $7.70.

    Based on the latest A2 Milk share price, this implies potential upside of 34% over the next 12 months.

    What did the broker say?

    While Bell Potter has reduced its earnings estimates materially, it still believes the A2 Milk share price offers value for money. Particularly given the good work the company has done rebalancing its inventory after a disastrous FY 2021.

    Commenting on its inventory, the broker said: “We think the market is underestimating the impact that inventory swaps and sales pullbacks [had] on FY21 and while this is unlikely to be recovered in FY22e, it gives a glimpse of the relative FY21 under earn relative to baseline. As YOY comparisons become softer in 2H22e and with inventory positions reduced we would anticipate a resumption of top line growth to ensue.”

    “Our Buy rating remains unchanged. Sell-in rates materially lagged sell-out rates in 2H21, implying steps to reduce channel inventories have been effective. As revenues more closely align to point of sale trends we would expect top line growth to return, which could well be complemented by internalising supply chain costs in FY23-25e,” it added.

    Overall, while the last 12 months have been bitterly disappointing for the A2 Milk shareholders, Bell Potter appears cautiously optimistic that it will be a different story over the next 12 months.

    The post Top broker says A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price is a buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in A2 Milk right now?

    Before you consider A2 Milk, 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 A2 Milk 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 A2 Milk. 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/3kNJUZH

  • 3 growing mid cap ASX shares named as buys

    Iluka share price 3D white rocket and black arrows pointing upwards

    If small cap shares are a little too high risk for your tastes, then you might be better off looking at the mid cap space.

    These companies are lower down the risk scale but still have the potential to generate outsized returns for investors over the long term.

    With that in mind, I have picked out three mid cap ASX shares that have been rated as buys. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Audinate Group Limited (ASX: AD8)

    The first mid cap ASX share to look at is this digital audio-visual networking technologies provider. Audinate is the company behind the industry-leading Dante audio over IP networking solution. Demand for the solution rebounded strongly in FY 2021, leading to the company reporting a 22.5% increase in revenue to US$25 million.

    UBS is very positive on Audinate. Last week its analysts put a buy rating and $11.75 price target on its shares.

    Hipages Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: HPG)

    Another mid cap ASX share to look at is Hipages. It is a leading Australian-based online platform and software as a service (SaaS) provider that connects tradies with residential and commercial consumers. It has been growing at a strong rate in recent years and this continued in FY 2021. This saw the company report a 22% year on year jump in revenue to $55.8 million. It also reported a 27% increase in its monthly recurring revenue (MRR) to $5.2 million.

    Goldman Sachs believes the company is well-placed for growth over the long term. It currently has a buy rating and $4.35 price target on its shares.

    Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA)

    A final mid cap ASX share to consider buying is Nearmap. The leading aerial imagery technology and location data company’s platform gives businesses instant access to high resolution aerial imagery, city-scale 3D datasets, and integrated geospatial tools. Demand has been increasing for its offering, particularly in the North American market. Pleasingly, management appears confident this will continue. It is targeting annualised contract value (ACV) growth of 20% to 40% per annum over the long term, with underlying churn of less than 10%.

    Morgan Stanley remains bullish on the company’s prospects. Last month it retained its overweight rating and $3.20 price target on its shares.

    The post 3 growing mid cap ASX shares named as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for 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 AUDINATEGL FPO, Hipages Group Holdings Ltd., and Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AUDINATEGL FPO and Nearmap Ltd. 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/3BBwKWy

  • ASX 200 rises, TechnologyOne climbs, Milton up

    bull market encapsulated by bull running up a rising stock market price

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rose by 0.5% to 7,523 points.

    Here are some of the highlights from the ASX:

    TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

    TechnologyOne announced today that it has agreed to buy Scientia Resource Management, a UK company servicing the higher education sector.

    The deal is expected to cost £12 million, including an initial payment of £6 million upfront and further payments based on achieving progressive earnouts to FY23. It will be paid from cash funded from “internal sources”.

    Scientia provides mission critical software for over 150 leading universities across the UK and Australia.

    The TechnologyOne CEO Edward Chung said:

    The acquisition forms part of our strategic focus to deliver the deepest functionality for higher education and it will accelerate our growth and competitive position in the UK as well as have significant benefits in the Australian higher education market.

    The acquisition further expands our global software as a service (SaaS) enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for higher education. The integration of the Scientia’s advanced academic timetabling and resource scheduling capabilities, combined with our market leading student management, HR and payroll, enterprise asset management and finance capabilities, will provide smarter decision-making eliminating underutilisation of space and resources that is paramount for higher education across the globe in a post-COVID world.

    The TechnologyOne share price went up 3% today, making it one of the better performers in the ASX 200.

    Cimic Group Ltd (ASX: CIM)

    Cimic announced that it has been granted two contract extensions for planning, maintenance and shutdown services in Western Australia.

    The contract extensions are expected to generate revenue to UGL of approximately $160 million.

    One of the contracts is for a leading oil and gas company including planning and execution of mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, access, insulation, coatings and fire protection.

    The other contract extension for the ASX 200 share is for maintenance, projects and shutdown services for a leading oil and gas company for assets for the north west of Western Australia including onshore and offshore operations.

    Cimic executive Chair and CEO Juan Santamaria said:

    UGL has the workforce and expertise to support the full spectrum of structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation services for the resources sector. We’re proud to contribute some of the nation’s most advanced gas production systems and the delivery of energy solution for all Australians on behalf of these leading oil and gas companies.

    Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL) and Milton Corporation Limited (ASX: MLT)

    The ASX 200 share Soul Patts and Milton have agreed on an exchange ratio for Milton shareholders.

    Milton shareholders will receive 0.1863 Soul Patts shares for every Milton share they own if the scheme is approved.

    The Milton independent board committee has reiterated its recommendation that shareholders vote for the deal. The independent expert has concluded, and has continued to conclude, that the scheme is fair and reasonable and in the best interest of Milton shareholders.

    This deal values Milton at $7.18 per share, based on the Soul Patts share price of $35.76 on 2 September 2021, including the value of the fully franked special dividend, the fully franked Milton final dividend and the Milton shareholder eligibility for the Soul Patts final dividend.

    Milton said the deal represents a 5.6% premium to Milton’s share price, a 25.9% premium to Milton’s pre-tax net tangible assets (NTA) and a 48% premium to Milton’s post-tax NTA as at 2 September 2021.

    The post ASX 200 rises, TechnologyOne climbs, Milton up appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider TechnologyOne, 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 TechnologyOne 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 owns shares of Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company 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 Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. 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/38Am1Px

  • Is the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank (ASX:BEN) share price in the buy zone?

    city building with banking share prices, anz share price

    The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) share price was out of form on Friday.

    The regional bank’s shares ended the day 1.5% lower at $9.94.

    Why did the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank share price drop?

    The weakness in Bendigo and Adelaide Bank share price on Friday was driven by the bank’s shares going ex-dividend this morning for its final dividend.

    Last month when the company released its full year results, it declared a fully franked 26.5 cents per share final dividend.

    This morning the bank’s shares traded without the rights to this dividend. When this happens, a share will drop in line with its dividend to reflect the fact that buyers won’t be receiving it.

    For those that are eligible to receive the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank dividend, they can look forward to receiving it on 30 September.

    Is this a buying opportunity?

    One leading broker that sees a lot of value in the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank share price is Macquarie.

    Last month the broker put an outperform rating and $11.00 price target on its shares. Based on the latest Bendigo and Adelaide Bank share price, this implies potential upside of almost 11% over the next 12 months excluding dividends.

    And with Macquarie forecasting a fully franked dividend of 55 cents per share in FY 2022, the potential return on offer here extends to just over 16%.

    According to the note, its analysts believe the bank’s growth strategy is delivering results. And while Macquarie acknowledges that the returns profile is soft, it feels this is already reflected in the multiples that its shares trades on.

    All in all, the broker feels this makes the bank a good option for investors at the current level and has retained its outperform rating.

    The post Is the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank (ASX:BEN) share price in the buy zone? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bendigo and Adelaide Bank right now?

    Before you consider Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, 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 Bendigo and Adelaide Bank 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/38BwpGK

  • Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares on Friday

    Top 10 ASX 200 shares

    Today, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) pushed upwards to finish the week higher. The benchmark index closed 0.48% higher to 7,521.7 points. Investors were treated to a positive Friday, with most sectors rising or remaining steady. The only sector to experience a more sizeable fall was the tech sector.

    However, the question is: which shares from the top 200 delivered the most green on the ASX today? Here are the ten stocks that delivered the biggest gains while the market fell:

    Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown today

    Looking at the top 200 listed companies, Orocobre Ltd (ASX: ORE) was the biggest gainer today. Shares in the lithium mining company increased 7% despite no news out. Find out more about Orocobre here.

    The next best performing ASX share out of the top 200 today was Alumina Ltd (ASX: AWC). The mining company’s shares gained 6.82% to $2 today despite no announcements. Following today’s gain, the Alumina share price is now up 18.5% in the past week. Uncover the latest Alumina information here.

    Today’s top 10 biggest gains were made in these ASX 200 shares:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Orocobre Ltd (ASX: ORE) $9.79 6.99%
    Alumina Ltd (ASX: AWC) $1.995 6.68%
    Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) $2.835 6.58%
    IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) $31.50 5.00%
    Technology One Ltd (ASX: TNE) $10.51 3.75%
    Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) $7.075 3.59%
    Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX: RHC) $72.22 3.51%
    Brickworks Ltd (ASX: BKW) $24.93 3.40%
    Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX: ILU) $10.06 3.29%
    Infratil Ltd (ASX: IFT) $7.29 3.26%
    Data as at 4:00pm AEST

    Our top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to ensure you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check-in at Fool.com.au after the market has closed during weekdays to see which stocks make the countdown.

    The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares on Friday 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 Mitchell Lawler owns shares of Lynas Corporation Limited and Ramsay Health Care Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Idp Education Pty Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Brickworks. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ramsay Health Care Limited. 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/3yGwaVy

  • Here are the 3 heaviest traded ASX 200 shares this Friday

    sea of hands throwing and grabbing money in the air

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has ended the trading week on a high note. At the closing bell, the ASX 200 finished the day up a healthy 0.5% to 7,522.9 points.

    But let’s dig a little deeper and see which ASX 200 shares topped the trading volume charts today.

    3 of the heaviest trading ASX 200 shares today

    South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

    ASX 200 miner South32 is our first cab off the rank today. This diversified miner has seen a hefty 19 million of its shares trade today. This coincides with yet another bumper rise in the South32 share price today.

    The company put on another 2.5% to $3.28 a share after hitting a new 52-week high of $3.30 earlier today. This latest move means South32 is now up an impressive 9.7% over the past week. This is probably the reason why there are so many S32 shares trading today.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    Another miner in Pilbara Minerals makes the list today. ASX 200 lithium producer Pilbara saw some healthy green numbers this Friday. At the close, Pilbara was up 2.26% to $2.26 after climbing as high as $2.35 earlier today, or 5% higher.

    All of this is despite the absence of any major news or announcements out of this hot lithium share. Today’s share price gains have resulted in a sizeable 27.38 million Pilbara shares swappings hands.

    Alumina Limited (ASX: AWC)

    Last, but certainly not least, today we have ASX 200 aluminium and alumina producer Alumina Limited. Alumina is another resources share that has been on a roll lately. Today, we have seen the company gain an impressive 6.68% to $1.99 a share after making a new 52-week high of its own at $1.06 earlier today. 

    With no other news out of Alumina, it is this substantial jump that seems to have seen a whopping 29.28 million Alumina shares bought and sold this Friday.

    The post Here are the 3 heaviest traded ASX 200 shares this Friday 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 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 Bruce Jackson.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/38RHkfX

  • Here’s what experts are saying about the Kogan (ASX:KGN) share price

    salesman explaining product on computer screen to couple

    The Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) share price has taken its investors on a rollercoaster ride ever since the topic of cycling elevated sales and inventory issues began to emerge late last year.

    Kogan shares have tumbled in each and every single one of its updates this year, in addition to sharp declines during its half-year and full year FY21 results announcements.

    In an article featured on Livewire, Chris Stott from 1851 Capital and James Gerrish from Market Matters take a look as to whether or not the Kogan share price is a buy, hold or sell.

    What do experts think about the Kogan share price?

    Stott reiterated his view to sell Kogan shares.

    “Sell again. We think they’ve still got inventory issues that will remain for a little while longer, perhaps longer than what people are expecting.”

    “They’re cycling higher comps, benefiting at the moment from being locked down, but as soon as the economy reopens, their comps should normalise back down. So sell,” he said.

    The concept of cycling higher comparables has been a drag on more than just the Kogan share price this reporting season.

    Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) for example, flagged in its FY21 results announcement that “Bunnings, Officeworks and Catch experienced moderating sales growth from mid-March as they began to cycle the strong demand experienced in the prior year.”

    The idea that growth could be flat to negative in the short term has spooked many investors and placed downward pressure on both Wesfarmers and other retail players.

    Gerrish on the other hand chose to give the Kogan share price a second chance.

    “I think it’s a buy, Matt, at around $11. Obviously, they stuffed up in FY21. There’s no doubt about it.”

    “They got too bullish on the demand for their products. And when you have a heap of inventory, it’s hard to store it, it costs money and they’ve obviously had to try and move it through sales. So I think that’s a lesson for them. And I think going out into ’22, that aggressive stance towards growth will eventually pay dividends. So it’s a buy at these levels, at around $11,” he said.

    The post Here’s what experts are saying about the Kogan (ASX:KGN) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Kogan.com right now?

    Before you consider Kogan.com, 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 Kogan.com 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 Kerry Sun 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 Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Kogan.com ltd and Wesfarmers Limited. 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/3DF5mZL

  • Here’s why the Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price is up 42% in the last 3 months

    happy woman using phone outside

    The Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price has been on a rollercoaster ride over the past 3 months.

    There have been several catalysts that have propelled shares in the buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) share price over this period.

    Let’s take a look at what’s been moving the Afterpay share price.

    What moved the Afterpay share price in the last 3 months?

    In early June, shares in Afterpay started to claw their way higher after being sold off earlier in the year.

    There were several catalysts pushing shares in the BNPL higher during June.

    These included overall strength in the broader tech sector and Afterpay strengthening its BNPL offerings.

    Arguably, the largest catalyst that moved the Afterpay share price higher in the last 3 months was in early August.

    A takeover bid from US payment giant Square Inc (NYSE: SQ) for $39 billion shot shares in the BNPL behemoth higher.

    Afterpay has accepted Square’s offer which will involve an all-scrip deal.

    If the deal does go ahead, Afterpay shareholders will receive 0.375 shares of Square for every Afterpay share owned.

    Another catalyst that moved the Afterpay share price was its FY21 results.

    How did Afterpay perform in FY21?

    For the 12 months ended 30 June, Afterpay delivered a stellar underlying sales growth of 90% to $21.1 billion.

    Other highlight’s of the company’s full-year report included;

    • Total income up 78% (or 89% in constant currency) to $924.7 million
    • Gross loss to underlying sales ratio flat at 0.9%
    • Net transaction loss up 210% to $132.6 million
    • EBITDA down 13% to $38.7 million
    • Active customers increased 63% to 16.2 million
    • Active merchants up 77% to 98,200
    • Square-Afterpay transaction on track to complete in Q1 of calendar year 2022

    The outlook for Afterpay

    In its full-year report, Afterpay acknowledged that the acquisition by Square is expected to go ahead in the first quarter of calendar year 2022.

    Regardless of the acquisition, the company continues to work on plans to expand its in-store card offering beyond Australia and the US.

    Afterpay also expects to launch its Afterpay iQ platform this September.

    Despite surging more than 42% in the last 3 months, shares in the BNPL giant are only 9% higher for the year.

    The post Here’s why the Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price is up 42% in the last 3 months appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Afterpay, 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 Afterpay 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 Nikhil Gangaram 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 AFTERPAY T FPO and Square. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. 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/3yBlJTn

  • 3 high quality ETFs for ASX investors in September

    the words ETF in red with rising block chart and arrow

    If you’re looking for an easy way to invest, then exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be worth considering.

    This is because rather than deciding on which individual shares you should buy, ETFs allow you to invest in a large group of shares through just a single investment.

    With that in mind, I have picked out three popular ETFs that could be worth a closer look. They are as follows:

    BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

    The first ETF to look at is the BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF. With cybersecurity continuing to grow in importance, demand for cybersecurity services is increasing and shows little sign of slowing. Especially given some high profile cyber attacks this year. The BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF gives investors easy access to this trend by providing exposure to the leading players in the global cybersecurity sector. This means you’ll be buying a slice of companies such as Accenture, Cisco, Cloudflare, Crowdstrike, and Okta.

    iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

    Another ETF for investors to look at is the iShares S&P 500 ETF. This ETF gives investors exposure to the top 500 U.S. stocks through a single investment. Blackrock believes this can be useful for investors seeking to diversify internationally. It also notes that it offers long-term growth opportunities for a portfolio. Among the companies included in the fund are Amazon, Apple, Disney, Facebook, JP Morgan, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Tesla, and Visa.

    VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ASX: ESPO)

    A final ETF for investors to look at is the VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF. This ETF gives investors targeted exposure to companies that derive a significant portion of their revenues from the video gaming and eSports industry. Among the shares included in the fund are hardware giant Nvidia and game developers Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Roblox, and Take-Two. VanEck notes that these companies are in a position to benefit from the increasing popularity of video games and eSports.

    The post 3 high quality ETFs for ASX investors in September 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 BETA CYBER ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VanEck Vectors ETF Trust – VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF and iShares Trust – iShares Core S&P 500 ETF. 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/3n00RmE