Tag: Motley Fool

  • BHP (ASX:BHP) share price slides as $9b class action resurfaces

    downward red arrow with business man sliding down it signifying falling asx share price

    The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price has edged lower today, as the resources giant faces new challenges regarding the Samarco dam disaster that occurred in 2015.

    BHP shares have dipped 2.3% into the red today after reports surfaced that an English court has overturned a prior ruling regarding the $9 billion class action lawsuit on the fiasco.

    Here we cover all of the moving parts in this development for BHP.

    Prior judgement overturned

    Recall that in 2015, the Fundao iron-ore tailings dam collapsed in Brazil, which ended up killing 19 people, left hundreds homeless, and caused widespread environmental destruction.

    As part of the original resolution, BHP and partner Vale were forced to pay AUD$5.2 billion to set up the “Renova Foundation” for the purpose to compensate individuals and fix the damage caused.

    However, according to a report from today’s Australian Financial Review, the Brazilian claimants “won the Court of Appeal’s approval for a fresh hearing” on Tuesday.

    Although the case was seemingly “buried in March” by a High Court judge, the appeal was filed by a syndicate of Brazilian constituents, including “businesses, churches, municipalities, utility companies and individuals”.

    The development comes after an English judge ruled back in November that the “case should not be heard, because it would be too complex and costly”, amongst other issues. The decision was then upheld by an appeals judge in March.

    However, law firm PGMBM, which is representing the syndicate, was able to “invoke an exceptional appeals procedure” on Tuesday.

    Such an appeal is granted when the court recognises there is a “risk of real injustice”.

    This saw the appeals court recognise the importance of a redress on the case, on the grounds that the “appeal has a real prospect of success”.

    It’s important to note that this outcome does not stipulate a change in the overall outcome of the case, instead it will only determine if the case can be successfully heard in England.

    BHP argues that “the proceedings do not belong in the UK”, and that “issues brought by the claimants are already covered” under the Renova Foundation procurement.

    Foolish takeaway

    This fiasco is unlikely to go away anytime soon for BHP, particularly as litigation is still ongoing in Brazil itself.

    Tuesday’s outcome will provide further colour on whether the full case can be heard in the UK.

    In any sense, BHP continues to rigorously fight the matter at hand, advocating to keep litigation out of the UK.

    The news comes as the BHP share price hit its all-time high on Tuesday, given outperformance from its exposure to a soaring commodities market.

    The post BHP (ASX:BHP) share price slides as $9b class action resurfaces 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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  • Why Eagers Automotive, Life360, Spark, & Virgin Money UK are pushing higher

    A happy woman at her laptop punches the air, indicating a rising share price

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is out of form and sinking lower. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.7% to 7,377.9 points.

    Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here’s why they are pushing higher:

    Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE)

    The Eagers Automotive share price is up 2% to $15.99. Investors have been buying the auto retailer’s shares following the release of its half year update. For the six months ended 30 June, Eagers Automotive expects to record an underlying operating profit before tax from continuing operations of approximately $218.6 million. This will be up 442% on the prior corresponding period.

    Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

    The Life360 share price is up 2% to $8.09 following the release of the app maker’s second quarter update. That update revealed that Life360 has seen its global monthly active user (MAU) base increase by 4.2 million over the quarter to reach 32.3 million users. This underpinned a 28% increase in underlying revenue to US$25 million (A$33.8 million) and a 36% jump in annualised monthly revenue (AMR) to US$105.9 million.

    Spark Infrastructure Group (ASX: SKI)

    The Spark Infrastructure share price has risen 6% to $2.75. This follows news that the electricity distribution company has received another takeover offer. Spark advised that the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board and KKR have increased their offer to $2.95 per share. This follows two previous offers that were rejected. On this occasion, the Spark Board has granted the suitors due diligence.

    Virgin Money UK CDI (ASX: VUK)

    The Virgin Money UK share price is up 3% to $3.75. Investors have been buying the UK bank’s shares following its third quarter update. Among the highlights, Virgin Money UK reported a 0.7% increase in mortgages to 58.7 billion pounds and a 2.5% lift in personal lending to 5.2 billion pounds. Another positive was its net interest margin, which increased to 168bps.

    The post Why Eagers Automotive, Life360, Spark, & Virgin Money UK are pushing 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 Life360, Inc. 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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  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    ASX shares Business man marking buy on board and underlining it

    Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models again, leading to the release of a large number of broker notes this week.

    Three broker buy ratings that have caught my eye are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

    SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK)

    According to a note out of UBS, its analysts have retained their buy rating and lifted their price target on this job listings giant’s shares to $35.00. The broker is feeling confident about SEEK’s long term aspirations and is expecting its ANZ revenues to grow strongly over the next five years. In the meantime, the broker sees upside from ad yield increases. The SEEK share price is fetching $29.71 this afternoon.

    Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

    A note out of Credit Suisse reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating and lifted their price target on this online furniture and homewares retailer’s shares to $14.62. This follows the release of its full year results for FY 2021. Credit Suisse was pleased with the company’s execution in FY 2021 and the strong start it has made to FY 2022. Looking longer term, the broker believes the company is well-placed to benefit from increasing online penetration and market share gains. Particularly given its investment in marketing and advertising to grow brand awareness. The Temple & Webster share price is trading at $12.27 today.

    Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

    Another note out of Credit Suisse reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating and lifted their price target on this accounting platform provider’s shares to $160.00. Credit Suisse notes that Xero is its top pick in the tech sector and believes the company is well-placed for growth. Particularly give its positive subscriber growth outlook and its expectation for increases in its average revenue per user metric. The Xero share price is fetching $138.51 on Wednesday.

    The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today 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 owns shares of SEEK Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Temple & Webster Group Ltd and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended SEEK Limited and Temple & Webster 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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  • Is this why the Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price is struggling today?

    airline pilot on the phone looking distraught, qantas share price

    The Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price is struggling to get in the green today.  

    There are many factors that could be weighing down shares in the nation’s largest airliner.

    However, a recent news article could be another reason the Qantas share price is struggling to take off.

    According to a recent article published in The Australian, Qantas could be facing legal action from a rival.

    The article reports that airline competitor Regional Express Holdings Ltd (ASX: REX), trading as Rex Airlines, is seeking advice on legal action against Qantas.

    The news comes after Rex recently approached the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

    According to the article, the airline operator has accused Qantas of anti-competitive behaviour.

    Rex alleges Qantas is engaged in predatory practices and “capacity dumping” in the domestic market.

    In airline terms, capacity dumping refers to the practice of larger airlines opening up more capacity on certain routes to try to drive smaller competitors out of business.

    Rex claims after its expansion into domestic routes in June last year, Qantas has tried to intimidate its competition by launching services into nine regional routes.

    Rex has also accused Qantas of dropping 80% of extra capacity on Sydney-Melbourne routes in March when the smaller airline began its service.

    The article noted the ACCC has not found any evidence of anti-competitive behaviour by Qantas to date.

    A spokesperson from Qantas also denied the accusation. In responding to claims of capacity dumping, Qantas stated that flights increased in response to increased demand.

    More on Qantas

    The last 3 months have not been kind to Qantas.

    Shares in the airline have struggled following a plethora of COVID-19 induced travel restrictions and lockdowns.

    Most recently, the cancellation of the trans-Tasman travel bubble has caused further uncertainty for the company.

    Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce also warned the company’s staff of the potential of renewed stand-downs.

    The revived warnings follow a drastic reduction in the airline’s domestic capacity, with more than 9000 flights cancelled in June.

    Snapshot of the Qantas share price

    In addition to lockdowns and reduced capacity, the Qantas share price has also attracted negative feedback from brokers and analysts.

    At the time of writing, the Qantas share price is trading slightly lower for the day, down 0.43% to $4.67.

    Overall, shares in the national carrier are down around 3.5% since the start of the year.

    The post Is this why the Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price is struggling today? 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 Nikhil Gangaram 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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  • How much is the Coles (ASX:COL) dividend worth today?

    A woman ponders over what to buy as she looks at the shelves of a supermarket

    The Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price is having a rather flat day today. At the time of writing, Coles shares are down 0.2% to $17.66 a share.

    That’s a little better than what the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is managing today though. The ASX 200 is currently down 0.79% to 7,373 points after making a new all-time high yesterday.

    But the Coles share price is also having a rather measly year in 2021 so far as well. Coles shares are down more than 4% year to date, and have fallen 0.7% over the past 12 months. That’s vastly underperforming the ASX 200, which is currently up 10.3% year to date, and 22.5% over the past 12 months.

    But since the supermarket giant is well-known for being an ASX dividend share heavyweight, could this be good news for income investors? Lower share prices do mean higher starting dividend yields after all. So let’s check out what the Coles dividend has on offer today and find out.

    What are Coles shares paying as dividends these days?

    So, Coles certainly wins points for dividend consistency. Since its 2018 demerger from old parent company Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Coles has been slowly but steadily jacking up its shareholder payments. 2019 saw Coles pay a final dividend of 24 cents a share, which was hiked to 27.5 cents in 2020 (yes, the year of the pandemic).

    2020 saw Coles’ first interim dividend, a payment of 30 cents per share. This was also hiked to 33 cents a share for Coles’ 2021 interim payment.

    Those last two dividends equate to an annual 60.5 cents per share dividend for the grocery giant. This gives the Coles share price a trailing dividend yield of 3.42% on the current share price of $17.67. Including Coles’ typical full franking, this grosses-up to 4.89%.

    That’s not a bad yield objectively, especially considering the current near-zero interest rate environment. But what about the future?

    A dividend buy today?

    One broker who is bullish on Coles shares and its dividend is investment bank, Goldman Sachs. As of last month, Goldman rates the Coles share price as a ‘buy’, with a 12-month share price target of $19.40 a share, implying a potential upside of 9.8%.

    Additionally, Goldman is estimating that Coles will continue to raise its dividend in the years ahead. It sees a potential dividend payout of 73 cents per share by the 2023 financial year. That would give Coles shares a forward yield of 4.12% on today’s prices.

    At the current Cole share price, the company has a market capitalisation of $23.62 billion and a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 22.53.

    The post How much is the Coles (ASX:COL) dividend worth today? 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 Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET and 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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  • Why the Endeavour (ASX:EDV) share price just hit a new all-time high

    A group of arms raising beer glasses together in cheers

    The Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV) share price is popping off like a bottle of champagne. At the time of writing, shares in the alcohol retailer are selling for $6.70 – up 1.82%. Earlier today they reached a new all-time high of $6.70 per share. That’s despite the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) being down 0.73%.

    While there haven’t been any market sensitive announcements by the company, there is a range of other factors that may be sending it to new heights.

    Let’s take a closer look.

    I’ll drink to that!

    Lockdowns across Australia, especially Sydney, to curb the spread of the delta variant of COVID, have been a boon for consumer staples – including bottle shops. With consumers stuck at home and shopping options limited, grocers, big box retailers, and even liquor retailers have been living the high life.

    While Endeavour does own and operate a number of hospitality venues – the revenues they generate are dwarfed by those earned through its Dan Murphy’s and BWS brand stores.

    In the Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) last half-yearly report, Endeavour Drinks generated $419 million compared to $122 million from hotels. Endeavour’s revenue was up 24% on the prior corresponding period while hotels were down 45%.

    Investors may feel the financial benefit Endeavour experienced last year will return with these new lockdowns. This could be one reason why the Endeavour share price is up.

    Conversely, it may also be the easing of restrictions in Victoria which are seeing investors treat Endeavour shares like they are on the top shelf of the bar.

    Any downturn in Endeavour’s hospitality venues in New South Wales may be offset by an uptick in Victoria. A potential unlocking of pent-up demand as citizens leave their homes may see earnings rise greater than they otherwise would have.

    The consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.8% in the June quarter. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) says “COVID-19 related price changes” played a “significant” factor in this price rise.

    Endeavour share price snapshot

    The Endeavour share price is up 9.5% since its initial public offering (IPO).

    If a savvy investor bought Endeavour shares when they troughed at $5.77 each, they would be sitting on a tidy 16.1% return on investment (ROI).

    Endeavour Group has a market capitalisation of approximately $11.8 billion.

    The post Why the Endeavour (ASX:EDV) share price just hit a new all-time high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Endeavour, 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 Endeavour 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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  • Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price slipping amid rumoured job cuts

    Close up of a miner wearing a hard hat with a solemn look on his face, with an oil drill in the background.

    The Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price is slipping today amid reports the oil and gas giant is preparing to slash jobs.

    The company is reportedly attempting an extreme cost-cutting initiative that could see it wave goodbye to workers in its offices and operations.

    Right now, the Woodside share price is $22.12 – 1.5% lower than its closing price yesterday.

    Let’s take a closer look at today’s news on Woodside.

    Woodside reportedly gearing up to axe jobs

    The Woodside Petroleum share price is in the red as news swirls the company will soon let staff go.

    According to reporting by The Australian, acting CEO Meg O’Neill has executed a company-wide review into cost-cutting measures. Reportedly the review is going to suggest job cuts and a redesigned workforce.

    In its 2020 annual report, released in February 2021, Woodside stated it had 3,670 employees.

    While there’s no word as to how many jobs might be on the line, the publication claims the company is aiming to reduce its costs by 30%.

    Woodside didn’t respond to The Motley Fool’s request for comment in time for publication. However, The Australian quoted a company spokesperson as saying:

    Managing our costs and workforce are a normal part of Woodside’s business and operations…

    We remain focused on safe operations and the continued safe execution of our Sangomar project in Senegal and achieving our targeted final investment decision on the Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 developments in Western Australia.

    Woodside share price snapshot

    2021 hasn’t been a great year so far for the Woodside share price.

    Right now, Woodside’s shares are trading for 2.73% lower than they were at the start of the year. However, they are currently 7.74% higher than they were this time last year.

    The company is the largest oil and gas producer on the ASX, with a market capitalisation of around $21.3 billion, with approximately 963 million shares outstanding.  

    The post Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price slipping amid rumoured job cuts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Woodside Petroleum , you’ll want to hear this.

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

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

    *Returns as of 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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  • When will the Telstra (ASX:TLS) dividend increase again?

    Woman in mustard yellow blouse on laptop holds both hands out to either side with graphic illustration of question marks above them

    The Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) dividend has traditionally been one of the most popular options for income investors on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    However, over the last few years, shareholders have watched on as the telco giant has been forced to make cut after cut to its dividend.

    In fact, the last time the company increased its dividend was in FY 2015. Since then, the Telstra dividend has almost halved from 31 cents per share to 16 cents per share.

    When will the Telstra dividend increase again?

    The good news for income investors is that the worst appears to be finally over for the Telstra dividend.

    So much so, some analysts believe that a dividend increase could be coming in the coming years.

    For example, analysts at Goldman Sachs are confident the dividend cuts are old news now. The broker is forecasting a fully franked 16 cents per share dividend each year through to FY 2023. After which, the broker believes Telstra will finally be in a position to make its first dividend increase in almost a decade.

    According to a recent note, Goldman expects the telco giant to increase its dividend by 5.4% in FY 2024 to 18 cents per share.

    Based on the current Telstra share price of $3.80, this will mean dividend yields of 4.2% through to FY 2023 and then 4.7% in FY 2024. Goldman hasn’t forecast beyond this.

    Is the Telstra share price in the buy zone?

    Goldman Sachs still sees value in the Telstra share price despite its impressive 26% gain in 2021.

    The broker currently has a buy rating and $4.20 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of 10.5% over the next 12 months.

    And if you include the forecast Telstra dividend, this will increase the potential return to just under 15%.

    The post When will the Telstra (ASX:TLS) dividend increase again? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

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

    *Returns as of 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 Telstra Corporation Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • What’s happening with the Little Green Pharma (ASX:LGP) share price today?

    A white cannabis leaf set against a green background with a graph going up, indicating a rising share price for ASX cannabis shares

    The Little Green Pharma Ltd (ASX: LGP) share price has edged lower today after the company released its quarterly results.

    Little Green shares finished yesterday’s close at 84 cents, before dropping to an intraday low of 80 cents after the market open. Currently, the Little Green Pharma share price is trading flat at 81 cents.

    Here we cover the moving parts in Little Green Pharma’s results in finer detail.

    Quick recap on Little Green Pharma

    Little Green Pharma is a medicinal cannabis pure-play that cultivates and produces products for the medicinal cannabis industry.

    It also has a hand in research and development (R&D) plus the manufacturing and distribution of these products in the Australian market.

    The company’s operations are vertically integrated, meaning it has full control over its entire supply chain for efficiency purposes.

    Little Green Pharma has a market capitalisation of $188 million at the time of writing.

    Little Green’s quarterly results

    The company recognised revenue of $600,000 this quarter, with cash receipts totalling $1.82 million, up 20% from the previous quarter.

    The discrepancy between revenue and cash receipts boils down to “a change in wholesaling agreements” that the company realised this quarter.

    In a nutshell, Little Green had to revise its agreements with all Australian distribution partners after the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) updated its clarifications “regarding wholesaling rules for unregistered medicines”.

    The change enforces the company to recognise revenue only when its product is sold to the pharmacy, instead of when it is sold to the wholesaler.

    Consequently, the company recognised a significant down-step in revenue from the previous quarter, when it recorded revenue of $2.3 million.

    Little Green anticipates revenue trends to normalise by the next quarter and estimates revenue of $3 million for Q1 FY22.

    Additional takeouts

    In other recent updates, Little Green last week completed the acquisition of a medicinal cannabis facility in Denmark for $10.9 million.

    As a result, it recorded increased production and staff costs “associated with the Denmark facility”.

    Little Green labelled the facility as “one of the largest production assets in Europe”. In addition to improving efficiency, it produced more than 20 tonnes of biomass annually, including over 12 tonnes of “dried cannabis flower”.

    Offsetting these expenditures, the company completed a capital raise of $26 million “net of costs”, with “strong support from institutional and sophisticated investors”.

    Moreover, Little Green realised a “record growth in underlying patient demand”, adding a 37% increase to new patients and 25% increase in dispensed products.

    This brings the total of new patients and products dispensed to 3,300 and 11,200 respectively.

    Little Green Pharma share price snapshot

    The Little Green Pharma share price has posted a year to date return of 43%, extending the previous 12 month’s return of 122%.

    These returns have outpaced the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of ~23% over the past year.

    Additionally, Little Green finished the quarter with $40 million in cash on its balance sheet.

    The post What’s happening with the Little Green Pharma (ASX:LGP) share price today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Little Green Pharma right now?

    Before you consider Little Green Pharma, 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 Little Green Pharma 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 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 WestStar (ASX:WSI) share price is up 20% to a 52-week high

    Ansarada share price Businessman doing superman and rocketing into the sky

    The WestStar Industrial Ltd (ASX: WSI) share price is one of the best performers on the ASX today. This comes after the industrial services company announced its subsidiary has won a major construction contract.

    At the time of writing, WestStar shares are up 20% to 3.6 cents. It’s worth noting today’s gain signifies a 52-week high for the company’s share price, reaching as high as 4.1 cents during intraday trade.

    Details of the contract

    Investors are driving up WestStar shares following the positive news from the company.

    In its statement, WestStar advised its engineering contractor business SIMPEC has been awarded a construction contract for the Iron Bridge Magnetite Project.

    Located 145 kilometres south of Port Hedland, Western Australia, the project is a joint venture between Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) subsidiary FMG Magnetite Pty Ltd and Formosa Steel IB Pty Ltd.

    Under the deal, SIMPEC will supply vertical construction services, hiring more than 500 workers to build a wet processing plant.

    The project will consist of module, tank and major mechanical installations, large bore piping and electrical and instrumentation works.

    Once completed, the wet processing plant will become a significant part of the new magnetite mine. The facility is expected to produce 22 wet million tonnes per annum of high grade, magnetite concentrate product.

    It’s estimated the contract will generate $145 million in revenue for SIMPEC. With works commencing immediately, it is anticipated that the wet processing plant will be delivered by the middle of 2022.

    SIMPEC managing director Mark Dimasi said:

    This is an important milestone achievement for SIMPEC in the delivery of our Company’s mission to deliver major projects in the industry. The award of the Wet Plant Project represents our largest contract win to date with a first-tier client.

    To achieve this in just over 4 years of being part of the Group is a remarkable achievement. It’s proof that our people and culture are building a reputable Company that clients trust.

    We look forward to further developing our relationship with the Iron Bridge Joint Venture and thank them for the opportunity to deliver such a high-profile project.

    About the WestStar share price

    The WestStar share price has gone from strength to strength over the past year, rising more than 150%. The company’s shares have outperformed the broader All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) on year-to-date metrics, up almost 60% versus 11% for the index.

    WestStar presides a market capitalisation of roughly $34.1 million and has over 975 million shares on its registry.

    The post Why the WestStar (ASX:WSI) share price is up 20% to a 52-week high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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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