Tag: Motley Fool

  • How has the Square share price performed since announcing the Afterpay deal?

    Man looks frustrated looking at computer screen in an office

    It has now been a month since Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) revealed that it was being acquired by US payments giant Square Inc (NYSE: SQ) for $39 billion in shares.

    The all-scrip deal will see Afterpay shareholders receive a fixed exchange ratio of 0.375 shares of Square Class A common stock for each Afterpay share they hold on the record date.

    In light of this, unlike a takeover with a fixed offer price, the value of this takeover approach will ebb and flow with the Square share price.

    As a result, Afterpay shareholders will no doubt be keeping a close eye on the performance of the Square share price between now and the closing of the deal.

    How has the Square share price performed since announcing the Afterpay deal?

    When the deal was announced at the start of August, the Square share price was US$247.26. This implied a transaction price of approximately $126.21 per Afterpay share at the time.

    The good news is that the response to the takeover on Wall Street has been positive. This has led to the Square share price gaining 7.5% to US$247.26.

    Based on this gain and current exchange rates, this implies a transaction price of approximately $134.76 per Afterpay share. This is broadly in line with where the Afterpay share price was trading at the close of play on Thursday.

    What’s next?

    Given that the transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of calendar year 2022, there’s still plenty of time for the Square share price to rise further (or fall).

    Potential catalysts include Square’s third quarter results in November and Afterpay’s first quarter trading update in October. And if the deal isn’t closed by February, we can add in Square’s full year results and Afterpay’s half year results that are due that month.

    The post How has the Square share price performed since announcing the Afterpay deal? 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

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. 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.

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  • If you invested $1,000 in Telstra (ASX:TLS) shares a decade ago, here’s what it would be worth now

    Couple counting out money

    The Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price has recorded strong gains over the past year, up 30%. This comes as Australia’s largest telco provider navigates its way around COVID-19 and the NBN headwind.

    Below, we calculate how much Telstra shares would be worth if a shareholder made an investment 10 years ago.

    How is the Telstra share price tracking in 2021?

    Without a doubt, the Telstra share price has been on fire this year, accelerating by almost 30%.

    The company’s mobile division has been a standout performer as Australians continue to work from home. In addition, management’s focus on cutting down costs across the business has had a positive effect on the Telstra share price.

    Last month, Telstra shares reached a multi-year high of $4.03, a level not seen since August 2017.

    But you may be wondering how much a long-term investor would have made. Let’s take a look…

    What would have happened to your Telstra investment in 10 years?

    If you invested $1,000 in Telstra shares in 2011, you would have picked them up for around $3.04 each. This would have given you approximately 328 shares without reinvesting the dividends.

    Looking at yesterday’s closing price, Telstra shares are trading at $3.85 a pop. This means those 328 shares would now be worth around $1,262.80 (328 shares x $3.85). When considering percentage terms, this implies an increase of 26.28%, or a yearly average return of 2.36%.

    In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has given back 5.84% over the same timeframe.

    However, it’s worth noting this doesn’t factor in the juicy dividends that Telstra pays on a bi-annual basis.

    Are Telstra shares a buy?

    Since the release of Telstra’s FY21 full-year results, a few brokers have weighed in on the company’s share price.

    Australian leading investment firm Morgans raised its price target for Telstra shares by 3.6% to $4.34. Credit Suisse followed suit to also add on its rating by 2.4% to $4.25. The most recent broker note came from JPMorgan, which has initiated a bullish price of $4.40 for the telco’s shares.

    Based on the current price, JPMorgan’s 12-month price target implies an upside of roughly 14.2%.

    Telstra commands a market capitalisation of roughly $45.8 billion, making it the 11th largest company on the ASX.

    The post If you invested $1,000 in Telstra (ASX:TLS) shares a decade ago, here’s what it would be worth now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Telstra, 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 Telstra 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

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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 has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why the Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) share price is down 9% in the last week

    ASX shares downgrade A young woman with tattoos puts both thumbs down and scrunches her face with the bad news.

    The Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) share price has tumbled 9% in the past week following the company’s FY21 full year-results on Friday, 27 August.

    Shares in the diversified conglomerate have quickly deteriorated from all-time highs of $67.20 on 20 August to a $57.82 close on Thursday.

    Why the Wesfarmers share price sliding

    Moderating sales growth

    Wesfarmers delivered a well-rounded FY21 result as revenues increased 10% to $33,941 million and net profit after tax (NPAT) excluding significant items rose 16.2% to $2,421 million.

    Despite a strong overall FY21 performance, Wesfarmers’ flagged that growth began to moderate towards the end of the financial year following government-mandated lockdowns and the cycling of elevated FY20 sales.

    According to the company’s FY21 results announcement, “Bunnings, Officeworks and Catch experienced moderating sales growth from mid-March as they began to cycle the strong demand experienced in the prior year. Volatility in customer traffic to stores resulting from government mandated restrictions and physical distancing requirements also impacted sales growth.”

    The weakening of sales and volatile business conditions could be a factor weighing on the Wesfarmers share price and earnings outlook.

    In addition, Wesfarmers also flagged challenges along its supply chain, saying “Disruptions and capacity constraints in global supply chains led to some inventory delays and higher ocean freight charges. Some additional fulfillment costs were incurred in stores and distribution centres to accommodate peak periods of online demand.”

    Weak year-to-date sales

    Within Wesfarmers’ FY21 results, the company provided a trading update for its year-to-date performance across its retail businesses.

    Wesfarmers’ commentary was far from inspiring, warning that “the impact of lockdowns on household and business confidence has become more acute as recent lockdowns have been extended and further widespread restrictions would negatively impact overall business activity and the Group’s trading performance.”

    Bunnings’ sales for the first 7 weeks of FY22 declined 4.7% on the prior corresponding period (pcp) as solid growth from commercial customers was offset by a decline in consumer sales.

    The combined Kmart and Target sales in the first 8 weeks declined 14.3% on pcp as a significant amount of stores were forced to close as a result of lockdown mandates.

    Officeworks sales tipped 1.5% lower in the first 7 weeks driven by the impact of elevated sales in FY20.

    Another factor driving down the Wesfarmers share price could be the company’s outlook commentary, citing that “the Group’s retail businesses during the first half of the 200 financial year may be below the prior corresponding period.”

    The post Why the Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) share price is down 9% in the last week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Wesfarmers, 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 Wesfarmers 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

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

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  • It hasn’t been a great week so far for the Woodside Petroleum (ASX:WPL) share price

    sad looking petroleum worker standing next to oil drill

    This year has not been kind to the Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price. The Aussie energy share is down 14.4% year to date including a 2.5% drop since Monday morning.

    So, what’s moving the Aussie oil and gas producer’s market capitalisation right now.

    It’s been a tough week for the Woodside Petroleum share price

    Interestingly, the Aussie energy share has been slipping despite oil prices climbing. It’s been a broadly positive week for crude oil with declining inventories and a weakening US dollar providing tailwinds to the key commodity.

    In contrast, the Woodside share price is down 2.5% this week despite edging higher on Wednesday. There have been no significant announcements from the company since its August FY21 half-year results release.

    One potentially big driver is the proposed merger with BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)’s petroleum division. News of the mega-merger, which would create a global top 10 independent energy company, was one of the biggest items to come out of the August earnings season.

    Investors could be looking ahead to the plan which Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill is hoping can deliver US$400 million in synergies. The Woodside share price slipped throughout August and news of the merger did little to boost the company’s value.

    ASX energy shares have struggled to make significant gains in 2021 and Woodside is no exception. However, hopes that COVID-19 restrictions may ease could be a boon for the Aussie oil and gas giant.

    Expectations for an economic recovery and easing border closure make the Woodside share price worth watching in the weeks ahead.

    Foolish takeaway

    The Woodside share price has had another tough week on the markets. Shares in the Aussie energy group have slid lower despite positive signs for crude oil prices.

    The merger with BHP’s petroleum division looms as the big driver of potential value for the oil and gas giant in the short to medium term.

    The post It hasn’t been a great week so far for the Woodside Petroleum (ASX:WPL) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Woodside Petroleum right now?

    Before you consider Woodside Petroleum, 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 Woodside Petroleum 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 Ken Hall 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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  • It hasn’t been a great week so far for the Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price

    illustration of laptop with down arrow and the word zip representing zip share price going down

    The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price has been under pressure this week. Shares in the buy now, pay later (BNPL) leader are down 2.4% from Monday’s opening price of $7.04 per share.

    Here’s what’s affecting the Aussie payments company’s value in recent days.

    It’s been a tough week for the Zip share price

    Whenever an ASX share slides lower, it’s always worth checking for any new announcements to contextualise the move. Unfortunately for curious investors, the last announcement from Zip was the company’s full-year results release last Wednesday.

    Zip reported a 293% surge in transaction numbers to 41.3 million in FY21. Total transaction value (TTV) jumped 176% to $5.8 billion as customer numbers jumped 248% to 7.3 million.

    Those all look like solid growth numbers on the surface. However, investors didn’t appear thrilled with the latest update with the Zip share price slipping following the release of the results.

    That came after Zip noted a 30 basis point (bps) decline in cash transaction margin to 3.5%. Zip’s marketing costs also surged 650% during the year as the company chases more market share in the growing sector.

    The Zip share price has been sliding lower since last Wednesday’s result. The valuation slide comes as shares in rival Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) have climbed 2.6% higher in the last 5 days.

    There’s also been increasing competition in the BNPL landscape. In a space that was ruled by Zip and Afterpay, new entrants such as PayPal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: PYPL) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) are now snapping at Zip’s heels.

    Foolish takeaway

    The Zip share price has been under pressure in recent days in what appears to be a hangover from the BNPL group’s FY21 results.

    It’s not all doom and gloom, however, with shares in the ASX company still up 22.9% year to date.

    The post It hasn’t been a great week so far for the Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Zip, 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 Zip 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 Ken Hall 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, PayPal Holdings, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2022 $75 calls on PayPal Holdings. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended PayPal Holdings. 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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  • Top broker tips Accent (ASX:AX1) share price to rise 33%

    shoes asx share price represented by white shoes against pink and blue background AX1 share price downgrade

    The Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1) share price has been a disappointing performer over the last few weeks.

    Since this time in August, the footwear-focused retailer’s shares have pulled back by 22%.

    This means the Accent share price has wiped out all its 2021 gains and more.

    Is the weakness in the Accent share price a buying opportunity?

    One leading broker that believes the weakness in the Accent share price is a buying opportunity is Bell Potter.

    According to a recent note, the broker has a buy rating and $2.90 price target on the company’s shares.

    Based on the latest Accent share price of $2.18, this implies potential upside of 33% over the next 12 months before dividends.

    And if you include the 9 cents per share fully franked dividend Bell Potter is forecasting in FY 2022, this potential return stretches to over 37%.

    What did Bell Potter say?

    Although the broker has reduced its forecasts (and price target) to reflect the negative impact of lockdowns, it remains positive on Accent. This is due to its belief that the underlying fundamentals of the business remain strong and attractive.

    Bell Potter commented: “We have cut our 1H22 estimates to reflect lockdown impacts. The net effect is our FY22 EPS falls by -21%, although there is no material change in FY23/FY24. Including model roll-forward, our 12-month price target reduces to $2.90 (previously $3.30). Notwithstanding the material near-term lockdown impacts, the underlying fundamentals of the business remain strong and attractive. We retain our Buy rating on the stock.”

    Despite the recent weakness in the Accent share price, it has still smashed the market on a 12-month basis. During this time the company’s shares have risen 37%. This compares to a 22% gain by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    Pleasingly, Bell Potter appears to believe it can do the same again over the next 12 months.

    The post Top broker tips Accent (ASX:AX1) share price to rise 33% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bell Potter right now?

    Before you consider Bell Potter, 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 Bell Potter 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 Accent Group. 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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  • Top broker says Suncorp (ASX:SUN) share price is a buy

    young woman reviewing financial reports at desk with multiple computer screens

    The Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN) share price has been a strong performer in 2021.

    Since the start of the year, the banking and insurance giant’s shares have risen 27%.

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

    Can the Suncorp share price keep rising?

    The good news is that the team at Goldman Sachs believe the Suncorp share price can rise further from here.

    According to a recent note, the broker has a buy rating and $13.74 price target on the company’s shares.

    Based on the current Suncorp share price of $12.52, this implies potential upside of 10% over the next 12 months before dividends.

    In addition to this, the broker is expecting generous dividends from Suncorp in the coming years. It has pencilled in fully franked dividends per share of 61 cents in FY 2022, 73 cents in FY 2023, and 76 cents in FY 2024.

    As a result, this means the total potential return on offer is approximately 15% including its FY 2022 dividends.

    What did Goldman say?

    While Goldman acknowledges that the Suncorp share price is not cheap, it still sees enough value to maintain its buy rating. Particularly given its positive momentum and its belief that the risks are to the upside for its earnings.

    Goldman said: “While it is now harder to argue that SUN is cheap, we have nonetheless maintained our Buy rating, where we see good momentum in the business, plus near-term earnings risks as skewed positively noting: 1) provided pressure does not mount on the industry to return recent motor frequency benefits, SUN will almost certainly record gains in 1H22 (potential for c.5% upside in EPS), 2) SUN’s recent reserve development remains well above its normalised 1.5% release assumption and noted relative comfort in the outlook, 3) scope for further banking collective provision release, and 4) into FY23 if we were to calibrate to the mid-point of SUN’s insurance margin targets alongside the bank cost/income ratio target we would see c.10% upside.”

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

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

    Before you consider Suncorp, 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 Suncorp 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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  • ‘Attractive’ ASX share with 60% upside and 6% dividend yield

    two children dressed in business attire with joyous, wide-mouthed expressions count money at a desk covered in cash and sacks of money either side.

    There is one ASX growth stock that’s so cheap like a value share that one expert reckons it has 60% upside from its current price.

    Datt Capital principal Emanuel Datt said back in February that candle retailer Dusk Group Ltd (ASX: DSK) was a sensational bargain.

    Even though the shares have risen more than 25% since then, he reiterated on his blog this week that the stock is still outstanding value. The shares were going for $3.07 at the close of Thursday trade.

    “We consider the fair value for Dusk to be around $5 a share,” Datt said. “We believe that Dusk looks highly attractive at the current valuation.”

    Upgrade-a-thon

    Dusk floated on the ASX in November with an initial public offer price of $2.

    Although the stock is now more than 50% up from the issue price, Datt is certain it has been ignored by most investors.

    “[Dusk] has flown under the radar of many investors. Since listing, Dusk has delivered 3 consecutive earnings upgrades.”

    The chain is the largest in the Australian market, according to Datt, commanding about 22% through 122 physical stores. He said the company can potentially grow to 160 outlets by 2024.

    Datt is also a big fan of the nature of the goods sold.

    “The products are orientated towards making homes and offices pleasant environments, which has become exceptionally important given the recent lockdowns,” he said.

    “In addition, the majority of the company’s products are consumables or products that use consumables. This means that every sale in the present has a high probability of further follow-on sales in the future.”

    Dusk’s peer valuation and overseas plans look favourable

    Once COVID vaccinations rise and international travel opens up, the retail chain has plans to grow its network overseas.

    Datt noted back in February that Dusk doesn’t sell to US and UK customers, but still receives “a significant” 1% of its web traffic from those markets.

    Dusk shares look cheap compared to other smaller-cap online lifestyle retailers listed on the ASX.

    Price-to-earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) is the metric favoured by Datt to come to this conclusion.

    He said that Dusk shares are currently priced at 5 times EBIT, while peers like Adore Beauty Group Ltd (ASX: ABY) and Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) are on 78 and 49 respectively.

    Datt admitted the Delta strain of COVID-19 strangling much of Australia will have a negative impact on the 2022 financial year.

    “While like-for-like growth sales are down slightly, we anticipate that Dusk may be able to achieve at least 80% of FY21’s revenue, while maintaining an EBIT above $30 million,” he said.

    “This assumes that social restrictions are loosened in Victoria and NSW prior to the Christmas shopping period, as well as being open during the key Mother’s Day trading period.”

    Icing on the cake

    A nice bonus for Dusk shareholders is that while the business is focused on growth, it’s already giving out some dividends.

    In March, the retailer gave out a fully franked 15 cents per share, giving it a 5.2% yield or 6.4% grossed up.

    That was just an interim dividend, so Datt assumes a similar final dividend later this year will make it a bonanza for investors.

    “We expect the company to continue to pay a sustainable, reliable dividend stream in the coming years, while holding significant upside potential from further expansion in its activities.”

    The post ‘Attractive’ ASX share with 60% upside and 6% dividend yield 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 Tony Yoo owns shares of Dusk Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Adore Beauty Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • The Nanosonics (ASX:NAN) share price rocketed 25% higher in August

    Group of doctors celebrate by pumping fists in the air

    The Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) share price was a very strong performer in August.

    During the month, the infection prevention company’s shares rose a sizeable 25%.

    Why did the Nanosonics share price rocket higher in August?

    The catalyst for the strong gain by the Nanosonics share price last month was the release of its full year results.

    Not only did these results come in ahead of expectations, but the company also pleased the market by announcing a major new product.

    Let’s start with its results. For the 12 months ended 30 June, Nanosonics reported a 3% increase in revenue to $103.1 million and a 15% decline in net profit after tax to $8.6 million.

    While a profit decline might not seem like something to celebrate, it was notably better than the market was expecting. This was driven by a stronger than expected second half recovery.

    What about the new product?

    As positive as the result was, the announcement of its new product may have given the Nanosonics share price the biggest lift.

    That product is Nanosonics Coris, a flexible endoscopes disinfection system.

    Management notes that more healthcare-associated outbreaks have been linked to contaminated endoscopes than any other medical device.

    And with over 60 million flexible endoscopy procedures being conducted across the United States and the five largest markets in Europe each year, this provides it with a significant market opportunity in the coming years.

    However, this product won’t be boosting its FY 2022 results. This is because management is targeting a launch in calendar year 2023.

    It is also worth noting that the company has a track record of failing to deliver on product launch promises. So, it isn’t inconceivable that this launch date will get pushed back.

    Is it too late to invest?

    One leading broker that unfortunately believes it is too late to invest is Goldman Sachs.

    Its analysts have recently retained their sell rating and cut their price target to $4.40.

    Based on the latest Nanosonics share price of $6.67, this implies potential downside of 34% over the next 12 month.

    Goldman commented: “We post FY22/23E sales upgrades of +6/+8% to factor the FY21 beat and FX gains, but incorporating new cost/margin guidance drives (19)/(25)% downgrades to our FY22/FY23E EBITDA forecasts, and a (11)% reduction in our TP to $4.40. Although this stock has not historically traded on near-term multiples, posting these downgrades drives 2022E trading multiples up to 125x EBITDA (180x P/E) valuations which would ordinarily be associated with much higher growth profiles (we now forecast sales/earnings CAGRs of +8%/+15 from FY22-25E).”

    The post The Nanosonics (ASX:NAN) share price rocketed 25% higher in August appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Nanosonics, 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 Nanosonics 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 Nanosonics Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Nanosonics 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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  • 2 impressive ASX shares that could be buys in September 2021

    small red wooden peg doll standing ahead of group of neutral coloured peg dolls

    There are some really impressive ASX shares to consider in September 2021.

    As COVID-19 impacts lift around the world, some companies may be opportunities that are waiting to be pounced on.

    Companies that have been impacted by COVID-19 could be the ones to see larger growth of profits over the next 12 months compared to ones that have already seen strong levels of demand.

    These two ASX shares could be good longer-term ideas:

    Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

    Lovisa aims to provide very affordable jewellery to a younger demographic of customers.

    How does the business ensure it has in-demand products? It says:

    Our trend spotting departments worldwide take inspiration from couture runways and current street style to deliver new, must-have styles to our customers.

    We are a fashion-forward jewellery brand that caters to every woman, with 150 new styles being delivered to stores each week.

    Lovisa is currently rated as a buy by the broker Morgans with a price target of $22.24.

    The recent FY21 result was better than the broker was expecting. COVID-19 impacts were apparent on the report after restrictions in the northern hemisphere.

    However, the ASX share was able to generate substantially more profit in FY21. Pre AASB 16, net profit after tax grew by 43.3% to $27.7 million. Revenue increased 18.9% to $288 million, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) climbed 34.6% to $60.2 million and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) rose 39.4% to $42.7 million.

    Lovisa has more growth potentially planned for FY22 after it added 109 net new stores during FY22, ending with 544 at the end of the 2021 financial year. This growth was driven by the addition of 87 stores in Europe as part of the Beeline acquisition.

    In the first eight weeks of FY22, total sales were up 56% on the same period of FY21.

    Morgans thinks the Lovisa share price is valued at 35x FY23’s estimated earnings.

    Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV)

    Premier Investments is responsible for a number of different retail brands including Smiggle, Peter Alexander, Just Jeans, Jay Jays and so on.

    The company has told investors that it’s expecting to report a strong result in FY21. Premier retail’s EBIT for the 53 weeks ending 31 July 2021 is expected to be in the range of between $340 million to $360 million, pre-AASB 16. That would be growth of between 82% to 92% on FY20.

    The ASX share said that there were a few different drivers for the business.

    There was strong demand for the winter product ranges across all brands. Premier also noted there was strong sales growth and a highly profitable online performance. There was an exceptional strong gross profit margin expansion in the second half with an increase of over 380 basis points on the second half of FY20.

    Premier Investments also said there was a strong cost control culture including continuing to reach agreements with landlords that appropriately rebase the company’s rent expense.

    According to Commsec, the Premier Investments share price is valued at 22x FY22’s estimated earnings. It has a projected FY22 grossed-up dividend yield of 4.4%.

    The post 2 impressive ASX shares that could be buys in September 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    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 owns shares of and has recommended Premier Investments 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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