Tag: Motley Fool

  • Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price falls amid news of $500m land sale

    airline pilot on the phone looking distraught, qantas share price

    Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) shares are edging lower this morning. In early trade, the Qantas share price is falling 0.86% lower to $4.60. This comes amid reports the airline could be set to gain up to $500 million from the sale of land.

    Numerous parcels totalling nearly 14 hectares are reportedly set to be sold. They’re situated in Sydney’s inner suburb of Mascot and some have been in Qantas’ hands since the 1960s.

    Let’s take a closer look at today’s news of Qantas.

    Land for sale?

    The Qantas share price is failing to respond positively to news the airline could be planning to sell land in South Sydney’s industrial precinct.

    According to The Australian, Qantas chief financial officer Vanessa Hudson said selling the land could help pay back some of Qantas’ debt.

    Qantas reported net debt levels of $6.05 billion and a statutory loss (before tax) of $1.47 billion in its results for the first half of the 2021 financial year. The Qantas share price fell 1.96% after the company released its half-year results.

    Hudson reportedly said some land values in Mascot are 4 times what they were 10 years ago. Despite this, around 40% of the 14 hectares is used for staff parking.

    The property also houses the Qantas Mascot distribution centre. Qantas is said to be planning to lease the centre back from its future buyer.

    Hudson was quoted by The Australian as saying: 

    One thing that stood out from the property review we did earlier this year was the amount of undeveloped and underdeveloped land we hold around Mascot… Given how Mascot has developed over that time, there’s a lot of value we can unlock by selling it…

    The proceeds would be used to help us pay down the debt we’ve built up getting through COVID, which in turn means we can start reinvesting sooner in things like new aircraft, things that are core to our business.

    The publication also stated Qantas may sell all the land, or just some, depending on the market’s reaction.

    Qantas share price snapshot

    2021 hasn’t been a great year for Qantas on the ASX, amid persisting lockdowns and travel restrictions.

    Right now, the Qantas share price is trading around 5% lower than it was at the start of the year. However, it has gained around 32% since this time last year.

    The post Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price falls amid news of $500m land sale appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of 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. 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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  • Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) share price sinks on growth slowdown warning

    Thumbs down Facebook icon on a computer keyboard, indicating backlash against facebook's news ban in Australia

    The Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB) share price has taken a dip to the downside following its second-quarter results. Despite delivering a double on earnings and revenue, shares in the networking giant fell in after-hours trade.

    At the time of writing, the Facebook share price is fetching US$373.28. However, shares dropped 3.56% to US$360.00 in after-hours trade.

    Let’s delve into what the company shared with investors this morning that left them wanting more.

    Growth at scale

    While you wouldn’t pick it based on investor sentiment this morning, Facebook delivered impressive growth figures for its latest quarter.

    According to the release, revenue surged by 56% year-over-year (YoY) to US$29.08 billion in the second quarter. A return to advertising spending led to a 47% YoY increase in the average price per ad. At the same time, the number of ads delivered increased.

    Facebook managed to increase its operating margin by containing the lift in expenses. While revenues jumped, expenses climbed to a lesser extent with a 31% increase. As a result, income from operations more than doubled to US$12.37 billion. Impressively, the company’s margin expanded from 32% to 43%.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Furthermore, analysts were forecasting earnings per share (EPS) of US$3.03. Shareholders can relish Facebook beating expectations with an EPS of $3.61. Another positive for the Facebook share price from the quarterly report.

    Importantly, Facebook’s monthly active users have continued to grow. At the end of June, Facebook boasted MAUs of 2.9 billion, representing an increase of 7% YoY.

    The Facebook share price dampener

    It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows from the company’s latest result. Investors have been rattled by the outlook suggesting a significant deceleration in growth rates for the third and fourth quarters. This is because Facebook will be comparing its revenue and earnings to previous quarters of strong performance.

    Additionally, the company stated:

    We continue to expect increased ad targeting headwinds in 2021 from regulatory and platform changes, notably the recent iOS updates, which we expect to have a greater impact in the third quarter compared to the second quarter. This is factored into our outlook.

    Uncertainty appears to be the main fact impacting the Facebook share price overnight. Until there are more guarantees about what may happen next with regard to potential changes in policy and growth, investors could be wary.

    The post Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) share price sinks on growth slowdown warning 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

    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. Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns shares of Facebook. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Facebook. 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.

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  • The Atomo (ASX:AT1) share price has shot up 9%. Here’s why

    a man sits on a rocket propelled office chair and flies high above a city

    The Atomo Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: AT1) share price has rocketed in opening trade today after the medical device company released its fourth-quarter results to the ASX.

    At the time of writing, the Atomo share price is trading 9.30% higher at 23.5 cents apiece.

    How did Atomo perform for the quarter?

    The Atomo share price is soaring after the company reported a robust performance during the fourth quarter.

    For the period ending 30 June, Atomo recorded cash receipts from customers of $717,000, bringing the full-year to $8.01 million. It’s worth noting that shortly after the close of Q4 FY21, a further $750,000 was received.

    Sales represented a total of $6.7 million for the 2021 financial year, up by 25% when compared to FY20 ($5.4 million).

    Atomo ended the quarter with a cash balance of $17.95 million.

    Pleasingly, the company is expecting sales to expand rapidly in FY22, with key multi-year agreements secured with Viatris and Unitaid. HIV self-testing kits – designed and manufactured by Atomo – will be sent to 135 low and middle-income countries.

    During late in the fourth quarter, the company received an initial order of 250,000 units under the Unitaid purchasing program. These products have since been shipped and delivered, with the majority of the order to be fulfilled in Q1 FY22.

    To support the large order and potential future orders, Atomo has expanded operations at its South African facility. This includes additional assembly and packaging lines, as well as hiring and training further staff.

    Across in the United States market, Atomo revealed that discussions with Access Bio were ongoing in relation to delivering its COVID-19 antibody test kits. Previously, Access Bio ordered 260,000 devices from Atomo, in part of the take-or-pay commitment of 2 million units by 30 September.

    In Australia, interest has soared regarding Atomo’s COVID-19 rapid tests. The company has engaged with the Australian Aged Care market to develop its first aged care COVID-19 rapid antigen screening program.

    Atomo share price summary

    Despite the positive turn of events, Atomo shares have gradually trekked lower in the past 12 months, posting a 44% loss. In 2021 alone, the company’s share price is down around 30%.

    Atomo has a market capitalisation of roughly $87.8 million, with more than 408 million shares on its registry.

    The post The Atomo (ASX:AT1) share price has shot up 9%. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Atomo, 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 Atomo 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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  • Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) share price falls after API rejects takeover offer

    A woman crosses her hands a defensive stance,

    The Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) share price is trading lower on Thursday morning.

    At the time of writing, the conglomerate’s shares are down 1% to $61.01.

    Why is the Wesfarmers share price trading lower?

    The weakness in the Wesfarmers share price on Thursday has been driven by news that its takeover offer for Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ASX: API) has been rejected.

    On 12 July Wesfarmers tabled a $1.38 cash per share offer to acquire the pharmacy chain operator and distributor by way of a scheme of arrangement.

    This morning Australian Pharmaceutical Industries announced that its board has carefully considered the proposal, including obtaining advice from its financial and legal advisers.

    However, the Board has unanimously concluded that the proposal undervalues the company, is not compelling, and is not in the best interests of shareholders.

    Why did it reject the offer?

    The Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Board advised that it has undertaken a detailed analysis of the underlying value of the company. This includes assessing its medium and long term growth prospects and reviewing a range of scenarios in relation to its recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 and the related lockdown restrictions.

    Following this, it believes Wesfarmers’ offer is opportunistic given the impact COVID-19 and lockdown restrictions have had on its financial performance over the last 18 months, and particularly on its retail facing businesses.

    It also feels that its portfolio of complementary wholesale and retail businesses are strategically well positioned in the growing health, wellness, and beauty sector.

    In addition, Australian Pharmaceutical Industries notes the potential of its investment in 39 new Clear Skincare clinics over the past three years since the business was acquired and the continued expansion of its clinic network.

    Another factor it feels is being overlooked is the expected savings from completing the development of the new automated Marsden Park Distribution Centre by the end of FY 2022. This will allow the consolidation of its supply chain footprint.

    Finally, the Board notes that the premium offered by Wesfarmers was significantly below the Australian market average for transactions of this nature.

    It concluded: “Although API’s share price has recently traded above the price offered in the Indicative Proposal, the Board recognises that the share price may trade below this level in the short term. Nevertheless, the Board will only progress a change of control transaction on terms that recognise the fundamental value of API and are in the best interests of API shareholders as a whole.”

    The Wesfarmers share price is up 19% in 2021.

    The post Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) share price falls after API rejects takeover offer 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 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 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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  • NEXTDC (ASX:NXT) share price pushes higher on Sydney expansion news

    asx shares involved with cloud tech represented by illuminated cloud on circuit board

    The NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) share price is pushing higher on Thursday morning.

    At the time of writing, the data centre operator’s shares are up over 1% to $12.59.

    Why is the NEXTDC share price rising?

    The NEXTDC share price is rising today after the company achieved a major milestone in its long-term data centre development strategy.

    According to the release, NEXTDC has secured a new data centre site in Western Sydney, named S4, for $124 million.

    The release notes that S4 is a significant long-term expansion opportunity that will provide data centre services to hyperscale cloud providers in a new availability zone within the Sydney market not currently serviced by NEXTDC’s existing data centres (S1, S2 and the under development S3 centre).

    The company also revealed that S4 will allow Enterprise and Government customers to scale their critical infrastructure platforms in this important digital gateway region.

    The 124,000sqm site is in Horsley Park, approximately 42 kilometres west of Sydney’s central business district and close to a major electricity substation as well as telecommunications, utilities, and public infrastructure.

    Subject to development approval, it is expected to accommodate a data centre facility capable of approximately 300MW of capacity, in addition to housing customers’ mission critical operation centres, administrative offices, and collaboration spaces.

    The S4 centre is expected to generate more than 500 new jobs during the development phase over several years.

    NEXTDC’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Craig Scroggie, said: “The demand for premium quality data centre assets in digital gateway regions such as Sydney continues to reflect the growth trajectory of technology infrastructure over the next decade. NEXTDC looks forward to being able to offer its customers dual availability zone solutions across its existing S1 and S2 Macquarie Park and S3 Gore Hill metropolitan data centres as well as this new S4 hyperscale campus in Western Sydney.”

    The NEXTDC share price is up 13% over the last 12 months.

    The post NEXTDC (ASX:NXT) share price pushes higher on Sydney expansion news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider NEXTDC, 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 NEXTDC 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 NEXTDC 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 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 Alphabet stock popped on earnings

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

    share price gaining

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

    What happened

    Shares of Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) are rising today, up by 3.1% as of 1:30 p.m. EDT, after the internet search giant reported Q2 2021 results last night.

    Alphabet crushed earnings estimates. Instead of the $19.21 per share in profit on $56 billion in revenue that Wall Street had forecast, Alphabet earned $27.26 per share on sales of $61.9 billion.

    So what

    “In Q2, there was a rising tide of online activity in many parts of the world,” commented CEO Sundar Pichai, allowing Alphabet to cash in on “elevated consumer online activity and broad-based strength in advertiser spend.”

    Sales climbed 61.6% year over year in the quarter, operating profit margin on those sales nearly doubled to 31%, and Alphabet’s earnings of $27.26 per share grew 169% over last year’s bottom-line haul. Literally every Alphabet division gained strength in Q2, with Google Cloud (sales up 53%), Search (up 68%), and YouTube ads (up 84%) being particular standouts.

    (Notably, however, Google Cloud remains a money-losing business for Alphabet, with operating losses of $591 million.)

    Now what

    Wall Street was just about unanimous in its approval of Alphabet’s quarter. At last count, TheFly.com had recorded no fewer than 17 separate analysts raising their price targets on the stock, with Susquehanna going as high as high as $3,600 a share.

    If they’re right about that, then even after today’s gains, Alphabet stock still has another 32% profit left in it for new investors.

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

    The post Why Alphabet stock popped on earnings appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Alphabet, 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 Alphabet 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

    Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, 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 Alphabet (A shares) and Alphabet (C shares). The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares) and Alphabet (C shares). 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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  • PointsBet (ASX:PBH) share price halted after Q4 update

    Young man in shirt and tie staring at his laptop screen in anticipation.

    The PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) share price won’t be going anywhere on Thursday.

    This morning the sports betting company requested a trading halt.

    Why is the PointsBet share price halted?

    The PointsBet share price was placed in a trading halt this morning while it undertakes a capital raising via an institutional placement and entitlement offer.

    At this point, no details have been provided in relation to how much the company is aiming to raise.

    The PointsBet share price is expected to remain halted until Wednesday of next week.

    Fourth quarter update

    In addition to the capital raising, this morning the company has released its fourth quarter update.

    According to the release, for the three months ended 30 June, PointsBet recorded a 182% increase in turnover to $986.1 million. This was driven by a 63% increase in Australian turnover to $494.8 million and a 956% jump in US turnover to $491.3 million.

    This brought PointsBet’s full year turnover to $3,781.4 million, which was up an impressive 228% on FY 2020.

    Driving this strong growth was a 117% annual increase in Australian active clients to 196,585 and a 661% increase in US active clients to 159,321.

    Gross and net win growth

    Also potentially giving the PointsBet share price a boost when it returns to trade was further strong growth in its gross and net win metrics.

    PointsBet’s fourth quarter gross win increased 128% to $98.7 million and its net win rose 77% to $59.3 million. The latter was impacted by a 3.6 percentage point reduction in its net win margin to 6%. Nevertheless, its FY 2021 net win still increased 152% year on year to $207 million.

    At the end of the period, the company’s corporate cash balance stood at $245.5 million, with no borrowings. Though, this looks set to be boosted by PointsBet’s aforementioned capital raising.

    The PointsBet share price is up 116% over the last 12 months.

    The post PointsBet (ASX:PBH) share price halted after Q4 update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of 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 Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • The NAB (ASX:NAB) share price is flat 5 years on. But have the dividends paid off?

    man laying on his couch with bundles of money and extremely ecstatic about high dividend returns

    The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price is relatively flat when compared to its performance 5 years ago. This is despite the general investment belief that blue chip companies deliver reasonable returns over the long term.

    Looking back at 29 July 2016, the bank’s shares were trading at $26.54 apiece. Today, you can pick up the same shares for $25.91 – that’s 2% cheaper than they were 5 years ago.

    Many investors assume the company’s strong bi-annual dividend payout makes up for any potential loss in share price growth. Further strengthening the argument, NAB traditionally pays full-franked dividends, even during COVID-19.

    Franking credits (otherwise known as imputation credits) are highly regarded in the investing world. This is a type of tax credit that is passed onto shareholders when dividend payments are made by a company. Essentially, the company is paying the tax on the dividends received by the shareholders.

    So, has the NAB share price provided value over the last 5 years? Below, we take a closer look to see if it has been worth investing in the company’s shares solely for its dividends.

    Have NAB’s dividends paid off in the long run?

    The NAB share price has been mostly stable over the past 5 years, excluding a significant drop during 2020 caused by COVID-19.

    Here’s a list below of NAB’s historical dividends paid out to shareholders in the past 5 years.

    • December 2016 – 99 cents (100% franked)
    • July 2017 – 99 cents (100% franked)
    • December 2017 – 99 cents (100% franked)
    • July 2018 – 99 cents (100% franked)
    • December 2018 – 99 cents (100% franked)
    • July 2019 – 83 cents (100% franked)
    • December 2019 – 83 cents (100% franked)
    • July 2020 – 30 cents (100% franked)
    • December 2020 – 30 cents (100% franked)
    • July 2021 – 60 cents (100% franked)

    Calculating the difference

    Let’s say an investor bought $10,000 worth of NAB shares this time 5 years ago. They would have a total of 376 shares ($10,000 / $26.54). If we multiply that with the current NAB share price, this investor would be sitting at $9,742.16 (376 shares x $25.91).

    While this appears to be a loss of $257.84 from the original investment made, the games changes when dividend payments are factored in.

    Over the past 5 years, our investor would have picked up $7.81 worth of dividends (addition of all historical dividend payments above). With this amount, we multiply it with the current shareholding (376 NAB shares), which gives us a figure of $2,936.56.

    Add this to the $9,742.16 that is the present value of the 376 shares, and investors would be an extra $2,678.72 ahead sitting on $12,678.72 ($9,742.16 + $2,936.56).

    This means that if you invested in NAB 5 years ago, you would be better off now, thanks to the dividends. Although, it is worth noting that this does not include the franking credits that offset tax to be paid. So, in hindsight, NAB shareholders would have made the right choice in keeping their shares for the long term.

    NAB share price summary

    Glancing at a shorter time frame, NAB shares have accelerated in the past 12 months, up 44%. In 2021, the company’s share price is also in the green, up 14%.

    NAB commands a market capitalisation of roughly $85.48 billion, with almost 3.3 billion shares on hand.

    The post The NAB (ASX:NAB) share price is flat 5 years on. But have the dividends paid off? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider NAB, 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 NAB 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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  • BHP (ASX:BHP) share price on watch amid news all petroleum assets to go

    industrial asx share price on watch represented by builder looking through magnifying glass

    The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price could be a mover on Thursday after reports the company is progressing the sale of its petroleum business.

    What’s happening?

    According to reporting last night by The Australian regarding the likely purchaser, Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL), “sources in the market [are] now suggesting that a planned deal by the $22bn listed energy producer has considerably progressed and is on track to be announced in about three weeks.”

    With August reporting season right around the corner, The Australian reported that “a number of sources are betting that the announcement will be made at Woodside and BHP’s upcoming results presentation”.

    The BHP share price tipped 1.86% higher last Tuesday when Reuters reported the initial speculation that Woodside could be the one stepping in to buy BHP’s oil and gas assets.

    What does this mean for BHP?

    The Australian reported, “suggestions in the market are that Woodside would pay for the BHP assets through its own scrip that would then be distributed to BHP’s shareholders”.

    From a revenue perspective, BHP’s petroleum earnings pale in comparison to its big earners, such as iron ore and copper.

    According to BHP’s 1H21 results, petroleum delivered US$1,619 million in revenue compared to iron ore and copper revenues of US$14,058 million and US$7,067 million, respectively.

    Overall, petroleum accounted for approximately 6.3% of the group’s 1H21 revenue.

    BHP enters nickel supply agreement

    Other recent headlines impacting the BHP share price have included its nickel supply agreement with Tesla Inc.

    BHP chief commercial officer, Vandita Pant commented on the agreement saying, “We are delighted to sign this agreement with Tesla Inc., and to collaborate with them on ways to make the battery supply chain more sustainable through our shared focus on technology and innovation”.

    But it isn’t just BHP making its move into battery and renewable-related materials.

    On Wednesday, Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) confirmed a $2.4 billion investment into its Jadar lithium-borates project in Serbia.

    According to Rio Tinto, the mine is expected to begin production in 2026 and ramp up to full production by 2029.

    BHP share price hits record high this week

    Oil and gas assets aside, the BHP share price continues to find success, cruising to a new record high of $53.65 on Tuesday.

    The post BHP (ASX:BHP) share price on watch amid news all petroleum assets to go appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider BHP, 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 BHP 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 Kerry Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Tesla. 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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  • Own Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) shares? Here’s what to look for during reporting season

    Happy girl with luggage at airport

    The August reporting season is almost upon us. That means owners of Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD) shares have a few things to keep an eye on next month.

    What to watch if you own Sydney Airport shares

    August can be somewhat overwhelming if you own lots of ASX shares. I always find that it’s easier to narrow in on a few key factors in order to stay focused on what matters.

    I think it pays to think about what is impacting Sydney Airport shares right now. COVID-19 lockdowns, state and national border closures and the recent failed takeover bid are a few that spring to mind.

    Sydney Airport generates revenue from aviation, retail, property and car rentals, as well parking and ground transport. That means anything that influences these revenue streams will impact future earnings expectations, and therefore the value of Sydney Airport shares.

    Clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted the status quo for Sydney Airport. Revenue across all sources plummeted in FY2020 with widespread lockdowns and borders remaining shut. So, what can investors look out for in August?

    Outlook for the travel industry

    I personally think it pays to look across a broad range of the industry. For instance, keeping an eye on results from travel agents like Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) can help to paint a picture of expectations for FY2022 traffic numbers.

    It follows for a company like Sydney Airport that more travellers are likely to lead to more demand for retail, property and car rentals, as well as parking and ground transport. More traffic means higher earnings and that’s good news for Sydney Airport shares.

    The key for Sydney Airport is really how quickly restrictions ease and borders open. That’s tough to determine right now, but management commentary from the company itself and other travel industry stakeholders could be useful.

    I’d keep an eye on results from the major airlines right now. That means watching out for Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) and Regional Express Holdings Ltd (ASX: REX) results in August. Any notable commentary on expectations for FY2022 could drive Sydney Airport shares in either direction next month.

    Acquisition updates

    The other looming factor is Sydney Airport’s status as an acquisition target. Sydney Airport shares surged by 34% in early July after a $22 billion takeover bid by an IFM Investors-led consortium.

    Any news, positive or negative, or further takeover offers, look like a major factor in moving Sydney Airport’s value. We saw from the early July surge that this is likely to cause the biggest value swing. I’d be watching closely to see who is circling Sydney Airport and whether any bids will move the company’s share price in August.

    The post Own Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) shares? Here’s what to look for during reporting season appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Sydney Airport right now?

    Before you consider Sydney Airport, 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 Sydney Airport 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 owns shares of and has recommended Webjet 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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