Tag: Motley Fool

  • Up 1000% in 2021, the Sayona Mining (ASX:SYA) share price lifts again

    investor wearing a hard hat looking excitedly at a mobile phone representing rising boral share price

    The Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) share price has stepped into the green in morning trade today, extending an impressive run this year to date.

    Sayona shares are pushing higher today after the company released an update on its lithium asset pipeline. At the time of writing, the Sayona Mining share price is up 3.16% to 9.8 cents.

    Let’s take a closer look at what the report entails.

    First, a quick recap on Sayona Mining

    Sayona is in the minerals exploration business. Its main focus is exploration and development of graphite and lithium assets.

    Sayona’s flagship project is the Authier lithium project in Canada, but it also has lithium and gold interests dotted around Canada and in Western Australia.

    At the time of writing, Sayona has a market capitalisation of $530 million.

    What was announced?

    Sayona confirmed exploration at its “highly prospective” Mallina lithium site will begin. This comes after earn-in partner Altura Mining completed its due diligence on all of Sayona’s Pilbara projects.

    In addition, the company explained Altura will invest $1.5 million “on exploration within three years to earn a 51% interest”.

    Under the agreement, exploration efforts will initially prioritise the Mallina site. The company said “intercepts of up to 5m wide, grading 1–2% Li2O” were observed back in 2017.

    The move strategically aligns with WA’s heightened lithium demand. The state has already laid claim to the world’s largest spodumene miner, according to Sayona. Spodumene is a mineral that contains a source of lithium.

    Sayona explains that Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) analysts “(are) predicting (spodumene) prices will rise by 30% through to 2025 due to lack of a third party”. It states “other analysts” predict similar outcomes.

    Management commentary

    Commenting on the release, Sayona managing director Brett Lynch said:

    Importantly, Sayona has a growing presence with multiple projects in the two major lithium markets of the Asia Pacific and North America. We are shovel‐ready and set for near‐term production, putting us in an excellent position to benefit from accelerating global lithium demand.

    Regarding the earn-in with Altura:

    We welcome Altura’s decision to commence the earn‐in period and launch lithium exploration, given its track record of exploration success. This exploration activity provides the potential for further increases in shareholder value from any lithium discoveries by our earn‐in partner, amid rapidly rising spodumene prices and need for independent supply.

    Investors are buying Sayona shares in droves after the release this morning, driving the Sayona Mining share price into the green.

    Sayona shares are now exchanging hands at 9.8 cents, a 3.16% gain on the day, after they hit an intraday high of 10.25 cents in early trade.

    Sayona Mining share price snapshot

    The Sayona Mining share price has posted a year-to-date gain of 1,021%, extending the previous 12 month’s return of 909%.

    These results have clearly outpaced the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s climb of around 25% over the past year.

    The post Up 1000% in 2021, the Sayona Mining (ASX:SYA) share price lifts again appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Sayona Mining right now?

    Before you consider Sayona Mining, 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 Sayona Mining 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

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

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  • 2 ASX shares that could join the acquisition frenzy

    two businessmen shake hands amid a backdrop of tall buildings, indicating a share price movement or merger between ASX property companies

    The merger and acquisition frenzy among ASX companies has only just started, according to a trio of fund managers.

    Yes, this week’s $39 billion union of Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) and Square Inc (NYSE: SQ) was the biggest takeover deal in Australian history. 

    And already a massive $148 billion worth of merger and acquisition transactions have been announced in the first half of this year, according to Wilson Asset Management portfolio managers Matthew Haupt, Catriona Burns and Oscar Oberg.

    But they reckon takeover fever hasn’t peaked yet.

    “We believe we are only at the beginning of the wave of M&A activity which we expect will last for another 6 to 12 months,” the Wilson managers wrote in a memo to clients.

    “We continue to screen laggards in the equity market with potential for a valuation uplift from strategic investments such as M&A.”

    Why mergers can be beneficial

    The Wilson fund managers pointed out takeovers can be a win-win for many different reasons.

    Their WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE) fund holds 2 ASX shares that are a prime example.

    “Energy companies Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH) were recently spotlighted in the media for their planned merger,” the Wilson memo stated. 

    “The merger is an example of companies using M&A to gain scale, relevance in new markets and a new opportunity pipeline.”

    Compared to this, the blockbuster Afterpay-Square deal is beneficial for entirely different drivers.

    “The recently announced takeover deal by California-based digital payments company Square for buy now, pay later platform Afterpay indicates the diversification opportunities companies are seeing in M&A activity, even those already trading at record multiples,” the fund managers wrote. 

    “We expect to see such consolidation take place on a global scale.”

    Who else could join the M&A frenzy?

    For investors looking for a win from the next acquisition announcement, the Wilson trio singled out a couple of ASX stocks ripe for such opportunities.

    “As beneficiaries of the coronavirus-induced lockdowns, there are companies that can use M&A activity to capitalise on their healthy balance sheets,” the Wilson team wrote.

    “Companies such as media and information service provider News Corporation (ASX: NWS) and medical diagnostics provider Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL) are examples of WAM Leaders’ holdings with strong balance sheets with upside potential in the event of acquisition activity.”

    News Corp on Friday revealed its best yearly result since 2013, raking in US$9.4 billion and a profit of US$389 million for the 2021 financial year. 

    Its ASX shares were up almost 3% in early trade Friday morning.

    Sonic Healthcare saw a 33% jump in revenue and a whopping 166% boost in net profit for the first half of the 2021 financial year.

    Credit Suisse named shares for the pathology and radiology provider as “outperform” this week, lifting the price target to $43.50

    On Friday morning they were going for $40.75. Sonic shares have gained almost 24% this year.

    The post 2 ASX shares that could join the acquisition frenzy 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO and Square. 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 Australia has recommended Sonic Healthcare 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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  • Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) share price higher as CEO looks beyond lockdowns

    A man sits in the airport terminal with a laptop and credit card, ready to make a travel booking.

    The Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price is edging higher, up 0.13%.

    The ASX travel share rose strongly in morning trade, up 1.93% to $15.30. It has since fallen back to $15.08 at the time of writing.

    Like all ASX travel shares, the Flight Centre share price tends to rise and fall on sentiment surrounding COVID-19.

    With the delta variant ushering in renewed lockdowns across the eastern Australian states, investors are keeping a close eye on the mid-term outlook for reopening domestic and international borders.

    With that reopening in mind, Flight Centre’s CEO, Graham ‘Skroo’ Turner, points to the United Kingdom as offering the roadmap back to free travel.

    Vaccine passport rollout likely

    Speaking from London to Scott Emerson on 4BC, Turner said the UK is on its way to rolling out vaccine passports.

    As reported by 4bc.com, Turner said the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) keeps a record of vaccinations along with an NHS COVID pass. He sees this course of action taking root in Australia and other nations.

    According to Turner:

    Yes, this is going to happen and it already has happened over here [in the UK] to some extent. Over here the NHS has effectively a record of your vaccination, there are various apps … that will collate different countries recording of it.

    At the moment it’s fairly dispersed and not uniform, but that will come. As you know now to travel freely into the UK, which you can come from many countries, all you need is to be fully vaccinated and a test before you arrive and two days after you arrive.

    With the resurgent delta strain, the world is pinning its hopes on wide vaccination uptakes.

    If Turner has this right, we’ll all be asked to prove this with new vaccine passports to book our trips in the foreseeable future.

    That may sound onerous. Or even a bit Orwellian. But if it sees the lifting of travel restrictions, most people will likely embrace the additional red tape to get back on a plane and head interstate or overseas.

    When travel returns to pre-pandemic levels, it should add a welcome tailwind to the Flight Centre share price.

    Flight Centre share price snapshot

    The Flight Centre share price came under tremendous selling pressure following the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020.

    But the past 12 months have seen the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) travel share outperform.

    Its shares are up 50% compared to 24% for the ASX 200.

    Year to date, the Flight Centre share price has struggled, down 5.75% in 2021.

    The post Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) share price higher as CEO looks beyond lockdowns 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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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  • Why AnteoTech, BetMakers, News Corp, & Vulcan shares are racing higher

    stock market gaining

    In late morning trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is fighting hard to finish the week on a positive note. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up almost 0.1% to 7,516.5 points.

    Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are racing higher:

    AnteoTech Ltd (ASX: ADO)

    The AnteoTech share price has jumped 14.5% to 21.2 cents. This morning the surface chemistry company announced a distribution agreement with UC Biosciences to dispense its EuGeni products in the Philippines. This includes a reader platform and COVID-19 antigen Rapid Diagnostic Test. The initial term will be three years, which is renewable year-on-year after the initial period has elapsed.

    BetMakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET)

    The BetMakers share price has stormed 9% higher to $1.14. Investors have been buying the betting technology company’s shares after it revealed that fixed odds wagering on horse races through a fixed odds wagering system is now legal in the state of New Jersey. This is a big positive for the company as it has already secured an exclusive 10-year agreement to deliver and manage fixed odds thoroughbred horse racing into the state.

    News Corporation (ASX: NWS)

    The News Corp share price is up 5% to $34.26. This follows the release of its full year results for FY 2021. According to the release, the media giant reported a 4% increase in revenue to US$9.4 billion and a net profit of US$389 million. The latter compares to a US$1.6 billion net loss in the prior corresponding period.

    Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL)

    The Vulcan share price has continued its positive run and is up a further 11% to $12.79. Investors have been buying this lithium developer’s shares this week following the release of a couple of very positive announcements. One was a partnership with Renault and the other was that its Zero Carbon Lithium Project will produce negative carbon emissions.

    The post Why AnteoTech, BetMakers, News Corp, & Vulcan shares are racing higher 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 May 24th 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 Betmakers Technology Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Betmakers Technology Group 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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  • Banks, NIB and Nuix share prices rise. Nick Scali flying. Scott Phillips on Nine’s Late News

    Scott Phillips on Nine Late News 30 July 2021.

    Motley Fool Australia Chief Investment Officer Scott Phillips joined Nine’s Late News on Thursday night to discuss Nick Scali Limited (ASX: NCK)’s stunning results, the companies that pushed the ASX to a new record, and the ripples from Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT)’s $39b deal.

    The post Banks, NIB and Nuix share prices rise. Nick Scali flying. Scott Phillips on Nine’s Late News 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips 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. 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 AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended NIB Holdings 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 Facebook’s outlook for rest of 2021 doesn’t scare me

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    group of friends checking facebook on their smartphones

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) CFO Dave Wehner recently warned investors of an impending slowdown in the company’s revenue growth in the back half of 2021. After reporting a 56% increase in ad revenue versus the second quarter last year, Wehner reminded investors that April through June of last year were very uncertain times for marketers, who pulled back on ad spending. As we enter the back half of the year, the comparable periods from 2020 are much tougher, and revenue growth will decelerate.

    Here’s why investors shouldn’t be too concerned about Wehner’s comments.

    A look back at 2020

    Looking back at 2020 and the first half of 2021 can give investors a better idea of where Facebook is going.

    In the second quarter last year, Facebook’s ad impressions increased 40% while average ad prices declined 28%. Naturally, that presents a tough comparison for ad impression growth, but an easy prior-year number to compare ad prices. Indeed, Facebook’s second-quarter ad impressions rose just 6%, but ad prices jumped 47%.

    Here’s what Facebook’s advertising growth looked like in the back half of 2020:

    Metric Q3 2020 Q4 2020
    Ad impression growth 35% 25%
    Average ad price growth (9%) 5%

    Data source: Facebook quarterly earnings calls.

    As you can see, ad prices were still relatively muted through the back half of the year. While still better than the average ad price declines in the first and second quarters of 2020, the growth wasn’t anything like investors were used to. At the same time, ad impression growth declined as pricing improved. 

    Not counting on ad impression growth

    Wehner’s outlook basically removes the ad impression growth variable from the revenue growth equation. He said he believes the engagement bump from the COVID-19 pandemic, which was particularly pronounced in the high-value North America region, presents a challenge for 2021 engagement growth. Furthermore, the increasing shift from feed to video products like Stories, Reels, and Facebook Watch will decrease impressions.

    Even if you remove the ad impression growth from the revenue growth projections, ad prices should still see notable increases in the back half of the year due to strong marketer demand. Simply look at the revenue outlooks for Facebook’s competitors for a barometer of demand in the third quarter. Twitter expects revenue growth in the mid-30% range, and Snap expects revenue to rise 58% to 60%.

    That said, Facebook should be able to grow ad impressions. First of all, it’s still increasing its daily active user counts by 7% and 12% across Facebook and its entire family of apps, respectively. Second, it’s boosting ad loads in its video products like Reels, which is accounting for significant amounts of engagement on Instagram. Reels is still in the very early stages of monetization, but it’s ramping up quickly. That factor, combined with user growth, makes modest impressions growth feasible.

    With continued strong demand for digital advertising and just a slight increase in impression growth, the FAANG stock should see its ad revenue continue to rise at its pre-pandemic pace in the upper-20% range. Yes, that’s a slowdown from the first half of the year, but it’s still very strong growth for a company the size of Facebook.

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    The post Why Facebook’s outlook for rest of 2021 doesn’t scare me appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Facebook, 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 Facebook 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Adam Levy owns shares of Facebook. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Facebook and Twitter. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Facebook. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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  • Eroad (ASX:ERD) share price wobbles after oversubscribed share purchase plan

    Truck driver sits in cab using laptop

    The Eroad Ltd (ASX: ERD) share price is jittery today after the company announced the completion of its share purchase plan.

    The company’s NZ$16.1 million share purchase plan has closed oversubscribed.

    Earlier this morning, the Eroad share price rose 0.67% to $6.00. However, at the time of writing, the shares are swapping hands for $5.93, a fall of 0.5% on the previous closing price.

    Let’s take a closer look at today’s news from the transport technology company.

    Oversubscribed share purchase plan

    The Eroad share price is wobbling after it received applications for NZ$43 million worth of shares for its NZ$16.1 million share purchase plan.

    Under the plan, eligible shareholders were offered up to $30,000 worth of new shares for $5.30 apiece. As a result, the company has decided to accept oversubscriptions of NZ$3.9 million to round out the share purchase plan at NZ$20 million.

    The share purchase plan is part of a capital raise helping fund the company’s acquisition of Coretex Limited. Eroad will be paying NZ$157.7 million for the telematics vertical specialist provider.

    Eroad already raised NZ$64.4 million in the first part of its capital raise. The first stage of the capital raise happened in July. It offered shares for $5.25 apiece – a 9.2% discount on the shares’ previous closing price.

    The Eroad share price gained 6.6% on the back of news of the acquisition and capital raise.

    It’s expected the acquisition will be finalised in the second half of the 2022 financial year.

    Commentary from management

    Eroad’s chair Graham Stuart commented on the news driving the company’s share price today:

    We are delighted with the support we have received from shareholders since we announced the acquisition of Coretex. We have seen strong support through the many conversations we have had with shareholders, the 100% shareholder vote in favour of the transaction and the oversubscribed placement and share purchase plan.

    Eroad share price snapshot

    It’s been a good year for the Eroad share price. It has gained 26% since the start of 2021. It has also increased by 49% since this time last year.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $556 million, with approximately 81 million shares outstanding.

    The post Eroad (ASX:ERD) share price wobbles after oversubscribed share purchase plan appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Eroad, 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 Eroad 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended EROAD Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended EROAD 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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  • How does the Coles (ASX:COL) share price perform during lockdowns?

    dad and daughter shopping in a supermarket with masks on

    The Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price has been trending higher in the past few weeks, rallying to a 7-month high of $18.12.

    This follows a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across Australia and a sweep of lockdowns across major cities and now the Hunter region of NSW.

    What can lockdowns in the past tell us about the Coles share price?

    Did the Coles share price benefit from previous lockdowns?

    Coles rallied strongly after the March 2020 sell-off. Shares in the leading supermarket surged 26% from $15.27 in late May to all-time highs of $19.26 by 13 August.

    Despite finding success amid lockdowns, Coles shares crashed on two occasions in the August 2020 and February 2021 reporting seasons.

    On 18 August, the Coles share price edged 0.9% lower to $18.71 following the release of its full-year FY20 results. Over the next couple of weeks, Coles shares lost another 9.78% to $16.88 by 9 September.

    A similar situation took place when the company released its 1H FY21 results on 17 February. The Coles share price tanked 5.3% to $17.20.

    The harsh selling continued for the next few days, dragging it to a 10-month low of $15.32 by 26 February.

    In the results, Coles was very cautious about its outlook, with management saying:

    Depending on COVID-19, vaccine roll out and efficacy, and other factors, sales in the supermarket sector may moderate significantly or even decline in the second half of FY21 and into FY22. Coles will be cycling elevated sales from COVID-19 in Supermarkets late in the third quarter, for the remainder of the second half, and most of FY22.

    Retail trade figures point to strong supermarket sales

    Retail turnover figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) have highlighted a particularly strong performance from supermarkets.

    In May, the ABS reported an 0.1% increase in retail trade turnover, seasonally adjusted.

    Despite the small increase, the ABS noted that Victoria experienced a 4.0% increase in food retailing, driven by strong turnover figures from supermarkets.

    The latest figures from June flag a 1.8% month-on-month decline for retail turnover.

    Despite the decline, the ABS reported a 1.5% increase in food retailing within industry subgroups, including supermarkets.

    Coles share price snapshot

    The Coles share price is down 2.05% year-to-date, a significant improvement on its -17% year-to-date return in late February.

    Investors should keep an eye out for the company’s full-year FY21 results, which are scheduled for release on Wednesday, 18 August.

    The post How does the Coles (ASX:COL) share price perform during lockdowns? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Coles, 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 Coles 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 May 24th 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. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. 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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  • Vital Metals (ASX:VML) share price leaps 6% on production update

    Share price jump represented by goldfish leaping from small fishbowl to larger bowl

    The Vital Metals Limited (ASX: VML) share price has leapt higher this morning after a bumper production update from the rare earths producer.

    At the time of writing, the Vital Metals share price is up 5.56%, trading at 5.7 cents.

    Why is the Vital Metals share price climbing higher?

    Shares in the Aussie-Canadian miner shot more than 9% higher at Friday’s open before paring back some of those gains. That share price swing comes after Vital Metals provided an update on its Nechalacho rare earths project in Northwest Territories, Canada.

    The ASX company has now completed its first month of rare earths production at the site. Vital Metals Managing Director Geoff Atkins said, “We are really pleased with the way our operations are ramping up at Nechalacho, and the exciting developments we’ve made with ore sorter operation and mineralisation at the North T pit wall during July.”

    Notably, Vital Metals said mining at the pit has intersected high-grade rare earth oxide (REO) mineralisation in the northern edge of the wall. The company said this new material could allow Vital to potentially expand the North T pit beyond the existing mine plan.

    Today’s update impressed investors who have snapped up shares. The Vital Metals share price leapt more than 5% at the start of trade following the news.

    Vital Metals said its ore sorter has exceeded expectations thus far. The Nechalacho ore sorter commenced processing in July with high grade product output better than expected.

    The production update is the second positive update from Vital Metals this week. Outstanding first-pass assay results from the Nechalacho project saw the ASX share jump higher on Tuesday. That included news that its Tardiff Zone 2 and 3 could significantly extend the project’s mine life.

    These recent gains mean that the Vital Metals share price has now climbed 90% higher in 2021 with a current market capitalisation in excess of $250 million.

    The post Vital Metals (ASX:VML) share price leaps 6% on production update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Vital Metals right now?

    Before you consider Vital Metals, 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 Vital Metals 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 May 24th 2021

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    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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  • Why the ResMed (ASX:RMD) share price slumped even as its profit jumped

    ResMed share price healthcare asx share price flat represented by doctor shrugging

    The Resmed CDI (ASX: RMD) tumbled even as management unveiled a double-digit increase in quarterly revenue and a bigger dividend.

    But that wasn’t enough to save the sleep-treatment device maker. The ResMed share price crashed by over 3% to $36.06 in early trade.

    ResMed share price is worst performer

    This makes it the worst performer on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) at the time of writing.

    That’s even worse than ASX gold miners, which dominated the rest of the bottom ranks due to the weak gold price.

    The Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU) share price, Ramelius Resources Limited (ASX: RMS) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) are right behind ResMed.

    Profit and dividend growth

    ResMed posted a 14% uplift in fourth quarter revenue compared to the same time last year to US$876.1 million.

    This means its FY21 full year revenue will be 8% ahead of the previous year at US$3.2 billion.

    The medtech giant also upped its quarterly dividend by 8% to US42 cents a share. Not that this matters much as investors don’t buy the ResMed share price for its dividends.

    Good news overshadowed by margin squeeze

    But the news hasn’t gone down well with investors as ResMed’s margins are under pressure. Its non-GAAP gross margin fell 260 basis points (bps) to 57.3%. This dragged its full year margin down 70 bps to 59.1%.

    ResMed said this is mainly due to an unfavourable product mix. Sales of lower-margin Sleep devices contributed more to group revenue this time round.

    Further, lower average selling prices and foreign currency movements also weighed on margins. However, the foreign exchange “drag” bolstered ResMed’s top line. So, I can only surmise that currency movements didn’t have as big an impact on margins than the first two factors.

    Profit takers hit the ResMed share price

    Another reason why the ResMed share price came under pressure may have something to do with its 41% surge over the past year.

    Shareholders sitting on strong returns would be looking for any excuse to lock in some profits. A margin squeeze is as good as any.

    The fact that ResMed didn’t offer much in the way of an outlook also made the profit-taking decision that much easier.

    Outlook failed to inspire

    “Looking ahead, we are confident in our ability to grow steadily through our fiscal year 2022 and to deliver for all our stakeholders,” said ResMed’s chief executive, Mick Farrell.

    “We’re driving accelerated adoption of digital health solutions in sleep apnea, COPD, and out-of-hospital care, accelerating our ResMed 2025 strategy.”

    After a big run-up in the shares, investors will need more than assurances of steady growth to keep pushing ResMed higher – at least for now.

    The post Why the ResMed (ASX:RMD) share price slumped even as its profit jumped appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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