Tag: Motley Fool

  • 2 ASX shares that might be worth looking at this weekend

    Two business workers at a desk comparing companies to analyse the best option for share price returns

    There are a number of ASX shares that might be worth looking at this weekend.

    Businesses that have growth potential and are at good value could certainly be ideas.

    Sometimes those ideas can be found outside of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    Here are two that could be worth thinking about:

    Pacific Current Group Ltd (ASX: PAC)

    Pacific describes itself as a multi-boutique asset management company that applies its strategic resources, including capital, institutional distribution capabilities and operational expertise to help its partners excel. It currently has investments in 15 boutique asset managers around the world.

    Some of the investment managers it has stakes in includes GQG, ROC, Victory Park, Proterra and Astarte.

    Every quarter it releases its progress with its funds under management (FUM). For the three months to 30 June 2021, Pacific saw its FUM increase by 15.4% to $142.3 billion.

    Higher FUM for the ASX share’s investment managers can translate into higher management fees, which can turn into higher revenue and profit for Pacific. However, each relationship between Pacific and the boutique can vary depending on different economic factors, so 15% FUM growth doesn’t necessarily translate into 15% revenue growth.

    The broker Ord Minnett currently rates Pacific as a buy with a price target of $6.70. That suggests the Pacific share price could rise by almost 20% over the next 12 months if the broker is right.

    Ord Minnett believes that the ASX share could pay an annual dividend of $0.37 per share in FY22. That translates to a grossed-up dividend yield of 9.3% at the current share price.

    VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

    This is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that has a portfolio of shares that are decided by Morningstar analysts.

    Those analysts are looking for businesses that are currently priced attractively compared to the estimate of fair value.

    However, the ETF doesn’t invest in any company. It only goes for businesses that have wide economic moats. In other words, businesses that have strong competitive advantages that are expected to endure for a number of years.

    Some of the 48 holdings currently in the portfolio include: ServiceNow, Alphabet, Microsoft, Tyler Technologies, Facebook, Pfizer, Amazon, Cheniere Energy, Medtronic, Wells Fargo, Salesforce, Guidewire Software, Philip Morris and General Dynamics.

    These businesses are allocated across a number of different industries. The ones with a double digit weighting include: health care, information technology, industrials, financials and consumer staples.

    The ASX share has an annual management fee of 0.49%.

    Past performance is not a guarantee of future results, as VanEck says. But, over the last five years it has returned an average of 19.2% per annum, outperforming the S&P 500’s return of 16.8% per annum. Indeed, it has outperformed the S&P 500 over the last six months, year, three years, five years and since the ETF’s inception.

    The post 2 ASX shares that might be worth looking at this weekend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Pacific, 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 Pacific 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 Tristan Harrison owns shares of PACCURRENT FPO. 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 VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Westpac (ASX:WBC) and this ASX dividend share are rated as buys

    ASX dividend shares represented by cash in jeans back pocket

    Fortunately, in this low interest rate environment, there are plenty of shares offering investors attractive fully franked dividend yields.

    Two dividend shares that are currently rated as buys are listed below. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

    The first ASX dividend share to look at is Accent. It is a retail group with a growing collection of popular footwear-focused store brands.

    While Accent has been growing at a solid rate for many years, its growth has gone up a gear in FY 2021. This has been driven by the popularity of its store brands, the expansion of its network, and a favourable redirection in consumer spending.

    Bell Potter appears confident this strong form can continue and expects it to lead to growing dividends.

    It is forecasting fully franked dividends of 11.7 cents per share in FY 2021 and then 12.3 cents per share in FY 2022. Based on the latest Accent share price of $2.73, this represents fully franked yields of 4.3% and 4.5%, respectively.

    Bell Potter has a buy rating and $3.30 price target on its shares.

    Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

    With trading conditions in the banking sector continuing to look positive, Westpac could be an ASX dividend share to look at. Especially given its cost cutting plans, strong balance sheet, and the removal of dividend restrictions by APRA.

    Combined, analysts at Citi expect Westpac to be in a position to reward shareholders with some generous dividends in the near term.

    The broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of $1.16 per share in FY 2021 and then $1.18 per share in FY 2022. Based on the current Westpac share price of $24.52, this represents yields of 4.7% and 4.8%, respectively, over the next couple of years.

    Citi has a buy rating and $30.00 price target on the bank’s shares.

    The post Westpac (ASX:WBC) and this ASX dividend share are rated as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Returns As of 15th February 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking Corporation. 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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  • Dicker Data (ASX:DDR) share price on watch after announcing key acquisition

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

    The Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) share price will be one to watch next week.

    This follows the announcement of a major acquisition after the market close on Friday.

    What did Dicker Data announce?

    This afternoon Dicker Data announced that it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire the Exeed Group business operating across Australia and New Zealand for $68 million.

    According to the release, this transaction will see Dicker Data’s New Zealand business become the second largest IT distributor in that market with estimated revenue of over NZ$500 million for the combined entities.

    The acquisition funding is supported by a cash advance facility from Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC). And while there are a number of conditions to be satisfied before completion, Dicker Data expects to complete the transaction before the end of August.

    The company expects the transaction to be earnings accretive for FY 2021.

    What is Exeed?

    The release explains that Exeed itself is already the second largest IT distributor in the New Zealand market and holds dominant market share across a number of the vendors it represents.

    Management believes the acquisition of Exeed will provide Dicker Data NZ with the platform to rival the largest distributor in the New Zealand market. This is by using a mixture of unique local market knowledge and access to an increased range of world leading brands.

    The Exeed business currently generates revenue of ~NZ$380 million across the ANZ market. This comprises NZ revenue of NZ$310 million and Australian revenue of NZ$70 million. Positively, the latter is from a vendor base that has no overlap with Dicker Data’s existing Australian vendors.

    In respect to earnings, Exeed is expected to report normalised operating earnings of NZ$15 million in FY 2021.

    Dicker Data’s Chairman and CEO, David Dicker, said: “After many attempts, over more years than I can count, we have finally got a deal done to acquire Exeed. This transaction will put us a very strong number 2 in NZ, with a platform for number 1. The combined companies are highly synergistic. The deal done will be all cash. A very satisfying outcome.”

    The post Dicker Data (ASX:DDR) share price on watch after announcing key acquisition appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Dicker Data right now?

    Before you consider Dicker Data, 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 Dicker Data 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 James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Dicker Data Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Dicker Data 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 BlueScope Steel (ASX:BSL) share price is up 8% in a week

    workers jump in air at steel factory

    The BlueScope Steel Limited (ASX: BSL) share price has climbed 8% into the green over the past week.

    BlueScope shares are now changing hands at $24.19 apiece, slightly lower from today’s open of $24.26.

    What are the tailwinds behind the BlueScope Steel share price this week?

    On 27 July, BlueScope released its preliminary unaudited results to the market, where it expects a record 2H result for the period of 1 January – 30 June 2021.

    The steel producing behemoth has upgraded its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) guidance from $1 billion – $1.08 billion to a new estimate of $1.19 billion for the second half.

    As a result, the company expects “preliminary unaudited” underlying EBIT for FY21 to come in at approximately $1.72 billion.

    BlueScope provided a breakdown of this expected outsized performance in the release.

    It explained that hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel prices continue to increase in the US, “surpassing expectations” as per the company.

    This came through to positively impact spreads at its North Star and North America coated businesses. The same impact is observed in its Australian and New Zealand markets.

    BlueScope’s Australian steel products segment also “delivered a substantially better preliminary result”, and grew by around 60% from the first half this year.

    Consequently, domestic sales volumes were the highest at this site since 2008, at over 1.3 million tonnes.

    There has been no other market sensitive information released by the company of late prior to this event.

    Therefore, it stands to reason that this release has been the major catalyst to drive BlueScope shares higher and reach their 52-week highs earlier today.

    BlueScope Steel share price snapshot

    Today’s gains cap off an extended run into the green for the BlueScope Steel share price over this year to date.

    Since 1 January, BlueScope shares have posted a return of 39%, extending the previous 12 month’s gain of 108%.

    Both of these returns have outpaced the S&P / ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of around 23% over the last year.

    The post Why the BlueScope Steel (ASX:BSL) share price is up 8% in a week 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

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    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 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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  • ASX 200 falls, NAB rises, Afterpay sinks

    white arrow dropping down

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fell 0.3% today to 7,393 points.

    Here are some of the highlights of the ASX:

    National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB)

    The NAB share price increased by 0.6% today after the bank announced a share buyback.

    NAB said it’s going to buy up to $2.5 billion of its shares on-market to progress managing its common equity tier 1 (CET1) towards its target range of 10.75% to 11.25%. It expects to commence its buyback in the second half of August 2021.

    The major bank said that it continues to operate well above APRA’s unquestionably strong benchmark of 10.50%, with a reported CET1 capital ratio of 12.37% at level 2.

    NAB said that the $2.5 billion buyback will reduce the CET1 capital ratio by around 60 basis points. After the sale of MLC Wealth to IOOF Holdings Limited (ASX: IFL) as well as previously announced items, NAB’s pro forma March 2021 level 2 CET1 ratio is 12.15%, including the intended share buybacks.

    The ASX 200 bank said that it will continue to assess various options to return capital to shareholders, consistent with managing capital towards the target CET1 range.

    NAB CEO Ross McEwan said:

    Through the pandemic, NAB has continued to build its financial strength while providing significant support to our customers and colleagues.

    Our target CET1 range reflects a balance between retaining a strong balance sheet through the cycle, supporting growth and recognising the importance of capital discipline to improve shareholder returns. We consider the on-market buyback to be the most appropriate mechanism to achieve our previously stated bias towards reducing share count, which will help drive sustainable ROE benefits.

    Pacific Current Group Ltd (ASX: PAC)

    The Pacific share price fell around 2.5% today after the asset manager announced its quarterly funds under management (FUM) update.

    Pacific said that total FUM controlled by boutique asset managers within its portfolio increased by 15.4% to $142.3 billion at 30 June 2021.

    In native currencies, US dollar-orientated fund managers saw FUM increased by 14.1%.

    The business said that it saw strong inflows at GQG, ROC and Victory Park. It said that Carlisle has restructured its open-end fund, moving significant FUM to a closed-end fund. Pacific said that market returns helped contribute to higher overall FUM.

    Pacific Current CEO Paul Greenwood said:

    Once again GQG delivered exceptional growth. We are also pleased by the large new allocations received by Roc and Victory Park. Despite the new commitments, Victory Park’s FUM was flat because some of its accounts reached the end of their life. Over the last few months we have seen signs of broader FUM growth across our portfolio, which bodes well for FUM growth in FY22 and beyond.

    Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) and others sink

    There were several businesses that were hit today in the ASX 200.

    One of the biggest declines was the Afterpay share price which fell more than 5%. The Redbubble Ltd (ASX: RBL) share price fell more than 11%, the Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) share price declined 5% and the Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: CUV) share price dropped 6%.

    The post ASX 200 falls, NAB rises, Afterpay sinks 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison owns shares of Fortescue Metals Group Limited and PACCURRENT FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. 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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  • Own Blackmores (ASX:BKL) shares? Here’s what to expect during reporting season

    blackmores share price

    The Blackmores Limited (ASX: BKL) share price has been a relatively poor performer over the last 12 months.

    During this time, the health supplements company’s shares are up almost 3%. This compares to a 25% gain by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    In light of this, investors will no doubt be hoping that a strong full year result in August could be the catalyst to getting Blackmores shares heading higher again.

    What is the market expecting from Blackmores in FY 2021?

    According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts are expecting Blackmores to report a 1% increase in revenue in FY 2021 to $573.8 million. This is expected to be driven by double digit sales growth in the China and International divisions, offsetting a 10% decline in ANZ sales to $292.9 million.

    Positively, the broker is expecting Blackmores’ earnings growth to be much stronger. Goldman is forecasting earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to come in 67.4% higher year on year at $52.5 million. Once again, weakness in the ANZ segment is expected to be offset by strong growth in its China and International divisions.

    And on the bottom line, the broker is expecting Blackmores to report an underlying FY 2021 net profit after tax of $34.7 million. This is an increase of 118.6% year on year and 6.6% ahead of the market consensus estimate of $32.5 million.

    Finally, Goldman Sachs expects this improved performance to allow the Blackmores Board to declare a final fully franked dividend of 42.6 cents per share.

    The broker commented: “We expect BKL to report group revenue of A$573.8mn (-0.9% vs. consensus and +1.0% yoy) and EBIT of A$52.5mn (+67.4% yoy) for FY21. For BKL, the key factors to watch for from our perspective are pricing levels, growth in the international markets, progress on market launch in India and indications of foot traffic improvements in Australia.”

    Are Blackmores shares good value?

    Despite forecasting strong growth, Goldman continues to hold firm with its neutral rating and $74.80 price target.

    Based on the latest Blackmores share price of $72.65, this implies potential upside of just under 3%.

    The post Own Blackmores (ASX:BKL) shares? Here’s what to expect during reporting season appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Blackmores, 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 Blackmores 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 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 owns shares of and has recommended Blackmores Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s why the Alexium (ASX:AJX) share price surged 9% today

    child in superman outfit pointing skyward, indicating a rising share price

    The Alexium International Group Ltd (ASX: AJX) share price fired up today after the advanced materials company announced a trading update for the fourth quarter of FY21.

    At the close of trading, Alexium shares were swapping hands for 6.5 cents, up 4.8%, after surging 9% higher to 6.8 cents for much of the afternoon.

    How did Alexium perform for Q4 FY21?

    Investors are driving up the Alexium share price following a significantly strong performance from the company.

    For the 3 months ending 30 June 2021, Alexium reported sales of US$2.2 million and cash receipts of US$1.6 million. While cash receipts remained in line with the prior reporting period, sales numbers experienced a substantial uptick. The sales result was attributed to new product lines that included the Total Mattress Cooling System (TMCS) and BioCool products.

    The TMCS achieved its first sales and commercial launch during the quarter. The coupling of textile and foam products for a mattress design has seen growth in the United States bedding market. Alexium anticipates that further significant growth will follow into other TMCS designs. Full-scale production is projected to be reached sometime in the first half of FY22.

    In addition, Alexium rebranded its Phonon technology to Eclipsys during the reporting period. The pending patent technology is seen as a breakthrough in thermal management for textile and foam-based consumer products.

    The company said the product application is stated to continually pull heat away from the user, cooling them up to 200% more than competing products. This is particularly important as when a projectile is fired into the body armour, it causes significant thermal stress on the wearer.

    Currently, the technology is being developed for the body armour market and is in late-stage evaluation, scheduled for H1 FY22.

    Lastly, the company completed a successful production scale of its FR NyCo technology through a rolled goods application. A flame retardant nylon/cotton fabric is being sought after as Alexium works towards optimising the chemistry integration. It believes the garment slated for military use will be available for testing in the coming months.

    Management commentary

    Alexium CEO Bob Brookins commented:

    For the Alexium team, we are at the most exciting time that I have seen since I joined the company. While there are a number of factors contributing to this sense of excitement, I believe the greatest driver here is the commercial success we are having across our product platforms.

    The Alexium share price has gained around 20% over the past 12 months, and is up 17% year-to-date.

    The post Here’s why the Alexium (ASX:AJX) share price surged 9% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Alexium, 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 Alexium 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 Aaron Teboneras 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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  • The AGL (ASX:AGL) share price just hit its lowest point in 17 years

    arrow and dissapointed man showing the stock market crashing

    The AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) share price is having a bearish run lately.

    Only today, the energy generator’s share price has crashed 3.02% as of writing to $7.23. Early it hit an intraday (and 17 year!) low of $7.15.

    While the company has not made any price-sensitive announcements for a month, there have been a couple of news events that may have affected AGL shares.

    Let’s take a closer look.

    The AGL share price is down in the dumps

    One explanation for AGL’s devastating day could be spillover from competitor Origin Energy Ltd‘s (ASX: ORG) market update.

    Origin shares are trading 7.4% lower presently to $4.13 each. The spark for this fall was a bleak outlook Origin gave the market this morning. The company expects underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) for FY22 to “materially fall” to somewhere between $450 million and $600 million.

    Origin CEO, Frank Calabria, said

    FY2022 presents challenges for the Energy Markets business, and we are responding by targeting significant capital and operating cost savings, including from the introduction of the Kraken platform and new low cost and more efficient retail operating model, with customer migrations to the new platform continuing to progress very well.

    As Mr Calabria’s comments on Origin’s challenges refer to the whole sector, not just his company, investors may be extrapolating his comments to AGL. This could explain the downturn in the AGL share price.

    Other developments

    Last month, along with a demerger announcement, AGL declared its expected EBITDA to come in at the low end of a previously announced guidance of $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion. It also said it would suspend its special dividend program of paying 25% of underlying profits for the next 2 years.

    AGL shares are down 11.4% this month.

    Also, brokers at Credit Suisse recently downgraded their AGL share price outlook to $6.70 while retaining an underperform rating.

    AGL share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the AGL share price has decreased 57.6%. Year-to-date it is down 40.8% and over the last 5 years it’s 64.8% lower.

    AGL Energy has a market capitalisation of $4.6 billion.

    The post The AGL (ASX:AGL) share price just hit its lowest point in 17 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider AGL, 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 AGL 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 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 Afterpay, Redbubble, & Zip shares are sinking on Friday

    An ASX investor looks devastated as he watches his computer screen, indicating bad news

    The tech sector is a sea of red on Friday afternoon. At the time of writing, the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) is down a disappointing 2.1%.

    Among the worst performers on the index are the likes of Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT), Redbubble Ltd (ASX: RBL), and Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P)

    In afternoon trade, the Afterpay share price is down 5% to $96.99, the Redbubble share price has crashed 11% to $3.26, and the Zip share price is down 4% to $6.66.

    What’s happening?

    Investors have been selling tech shares on Friday in response to weakness on Wall Street’s Nasdaq index following a surprisingly softer than expected quarterly result by tech behemoth Amazon.

    Amazon reported a 27% year-over-year increase in quarterly revenue to US$113.08 billion, which fell short of the analyst consensus estimate of US$115.20 billion.

    Management blamed the miss on the company cycling elevated sales in the prior corresponding period and appeared to warn of further softness in the coming quarters.

    In response to the release, the Amazon share price tumbled 7.5% in after-hours trade. This has led to Nasdaq futures pointing to a 1.4% decline on the tech-focused index tonight.

    Why Afterpay, Redbubble, and Zip?

    Investors appear concerned that Amazon’s update and outlook could be an indication that investors are expecting too much from companies with ecommerce exposure, and particularly in the United States.

    And with Afterpay, Redbubble, and Zip shares trading on such lofty multiples, any notable slowdown in their growth has the potential to lead to a de-rating to lower multiples.

    In light of the above, investors will no doubt be keen to hear from these companies when they release their full year results next month. These results are likely to include a trading update on their respective performances since the end of the financial year and should reveal whether their growth is slowing or not.

    The post Why Afterpay, Redbubble, & Zip shares are sinking on Friday 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 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 AFTERPAY T FPO and ZIPCOLTD FPO. 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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  • Lions become lambs as Robinhood (NASDAQ:HOOD) falters on debut

    A lion dressed in a business suit roars as two sheep sit awkwardly at the boardroom table

    Robinhood Markets Inc (NASDAQ: HOOD) officially listed on the Nasdaq overnight. The debut was one of the most anticipated of the year. It follows a major uptick in the platform’s popularity following the 2020 stock market crash.

    The US-based commission-free trading app was confronted with a bleak first day of public trading. Shares in the company fell 8.37% to US$34.82 after the initial public offering (IPO) had raised close to US$2 billion at US$38 apiece.

    Let’s take a closer look.

    Leading up to IPO

    Since rising to prominence during the COVID-19 crash and ensuing short squeezes, Robinhood has been shrouded in controversy. The number of funded accounts on the platform has skyrocketed to 22.5 million as of the second quarter – more than triple the number from Q1 2020.

    As account numbers soar, so has revenue for the company. According to its prospectus, Robinhood estimates second-quarter revenue of US$546 to US$574 million. At the lower end that would suggest a 124% rise.

    Part of this revenue has been a point of controversy for the trading app company. As revealed in its prospectus, Robinhood generated US$331 million in revenue from payment for order flow (PFOF).

    Put simply, PFOF is the compensation a market maker will give to a broker when the broker sends the order to them. While this is not illegal by any means, the company was fined US$1.25 million in December 2019 by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for failing to ensure its customers received the best price for orders.

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    Robinhood’s rocky track record

    Additionally, Robinhood was sued in a class-action lawsuit a year later for failing to disclose that PFOF made up a substantial part of its revenue.

    Given these events, investors and customers have wondered whether the “investing for everyone” ethos of Robinhood still rings true – ironic when the tale of Robin Hood was to steal from the rich and give to the poor.

    What else?

    There are risks associated with the PFOF revenue model for Robinhood. Currently the Securities Exchange Commission chair Gary Gensler is reviewing PFOF. Likewise, the prospectus outlines regulatory interventions as a risk to revenue growth for the company.

    Furthermore, CNN yesterday reported regulators have launched an investigation in CEO Vlad Tenev’s lack of a FINRA issued license.

    Lastly, Robinhood is valued at a market capitalisation of US$29.32 billion based on its share price.

    The post Lions become lambs as Robinhood (NASDAQ:HOOD) falters on debut appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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