Tag: Motley Fool

  • Why the Orthocell (ASX:OCC) share price is flying higher today

    ASX shares buy unstoppable asx share price represented by man in superman cape pointing skyward

    The Orthocell Ltd (ASX: OCC) share price is gaining in morning trade, up 3.3%.

    Below we take a look at the regenerative medicine company’s latest clinical update.

    What did Orthocell report?

    Orthocell’s share price is gaining after the company updated the market on the interim results of its clinical CelGro nerve regeneration trial 12 months post treatment.

    The results of the trial showed evidence of nerve repair using CelGro following serious injuries, including spinal injuries, as well as for the restoration of arm and hand function. Hence, Orthocell said its trial shows the potential for “breakthrough nerve treatment to return function to paralysed upper limbs”.

    The data indicated that 75.8% (25 out of 33) of the nerve repairs in the trial resulted in functional recovery of muscles 12 months after treatment. 76.5% (13 out of 17) of nerve repairs in the quadriplegic patients also resulted in functional recovery 12 months after treatment.

    Commenting on the results, Orthocell’s managing director, Paul Anderson said:

    Consistently returning function to paralysed upper limbs is the primary goal in this study. I am delighted by the 12-month follow up results, our most complete data set to date, demonstrating higher quality outcomes, improved predictability, and consistency of return of muscle function following CelGro nerve regeneration treatment.

    Clinical trial lead, Dr Alex O’Beirne added: “The quadriplegic patient results are particularly promising, with improved results at 12 months post treatment compared to the literature. CelGro is increasing the success rate and efficiency of nerve transfer surgery.”

    Looking ahead

    Orthocell said it expects the final 24 month results of the CelGro study in the second quarter of the 2022 calendar year. Its currently preparing to meet with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to get CelGro approved for use in the US.

    According to the release, the global addressable market for CelGro is worth more than US$7.5 billion (AU$10 billion) per year, spanning some 3 million potential nerve repair procedures.

    Orthocell share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, Orthocell’s shares have gained 74%, far outpacing the 24% gains posted by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

    Year-to-date the Orthocell share price has continued to outperform, up 28% so far in 2021.

    The post Why the Orthocell (ASX:OCC) share price is flying higher 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

    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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3gPA47O

  • ASX 200 sinks 1.9%: BOQ’s ME Bank acquisition approved, CBA divests insurance business

    Young man looking afraid representing ASX shares investor scared of market crash

    At lunch on Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the week with a sizeable decline. The benchmark index is currently down 1.9% to 7,225.9 points.

    Here’s what is happening on the market today:

    Bank of Queensland’s ME Bank acquisition approved

    The Bank of Queensland Limited (ASX: BOQ) share price is trading lower today despite announcing that it has received Treasurer approval to acquire ME Bank for a cash consideration of $1.325 billion. Positively, the approval of the acquisition by the Treasurer was the only condition precedent to completion of the transaction. As a result, completion is now expected to take place on 1 July 2021.

    CBA to sell its insurance business

    The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price is also tumbling lower today despite the release of a positive announcement. According to the release, the company has signed an agreement to sell its general insurance business to underwriter Hollard Group. Commonwealth Bank expects this to lead to a post-tax gain of $90 million from the sale. This includes estimated post-tax separation and transaction costs of approximately $130 million.

    Boral to sell US business

    The Boral Limited (ASX: BLD) share price is pushing higher today after it announced an agreement to sell its North American Building Products business to Westlake Chemical Corporation. According to the release, the two parties have agreed a fee of US$2.15 billion (~A$2.9 billion). This is expected to lead to a significant surplus in capital, which could be returned to shareholders via a distribution.

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers

    The best performer on the ASX 200 on Monday has been the Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) share price with a 2.5% gain on no news. The worst performer has been the Codan Limited (ASX: CDA) share price with a disappointing 12.5% decline. Investors may believe that recent weakness in the gold price will hurt demand for its metal detectors.

    The post ASX 200 sinks 1.9%: BOQ’s ME Bank acquisition approved, CBA divests insurance business 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

    James Mickleboro does not own any shares mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3xBcMcC

  • Why the Starpharma (ASX:SPL) share price is down 10% today

    falling healthcare asx share price Mesoblast capital raising

    Starpharma Holdings Limited (ASX: SPL) shares have taken a hit this morning. At the time of writing, the Starpharama share price is trading 9.71% lower at $1.535.

    What’s dragging the Starpharma share price down?

    Starpharma shares are well in the red on Monday after the company advised its UK retail partner, LloydsPharmacy, has received correspondence from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regarding the promotional claims for the company’s VIRALEZE antiviral nasal spray.

    According to today’s statement, the correspondence is flagging the company’s promotional claims, including “references to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, and the interrelationship between these product claims and its categorisation”.

    The announcement said that the MHRA is not questioning the safety or the quality of VIRALEZE, but the “allowable promotional claims”.

    VIRALEZE is an antiviral nasal spray which has been shown in laboratory studies to inactivate a range of respiratory viruses, including 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.

    What happens now?

    Starpharma disagrees with MHRA’s stance on its promotional claims and is working to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

    The company believes it has extensive data, including expert regulatory advice and input from an EU regulatory body, to support the product and its promotional claims.

    However, as a resolution is sought, Starpharma has agreed to temporarily pause UK VIRALEZE sales.

    The company reassures that the temporary pause in sales is specific to the UK, and does not impact other markets including Europe and India.

    The update also advises that Starpharma is rapidly progressing commercialisation and supply arrangements for the Indian market.

    Whipsaw like action for the Starpharma share price

    Despite having rallied significantly since its March 2020 lows, the Starpharma share price has been highly volatile over the past year. The company has seen significant share price rallies followed by sharp selloffs.

    Starpharma shares surged by around 50% from 25 August to a high of $1.95 on 1 September last year. This was likely driven by announcements including a strong full-year results release and positive updates for the VIRALEZE product.

    But by the end of December 2020, the Starpharma share price had shed around 20% of its value and was trading at $1.565.

    A similar situation occurred this year, with the company’s shares rallying some 67% from 27 January to a record high of $2.52 on 16 February.

    Fast forward to today, about 40% of Starpharma’s market capitalisation has been wiped since its February highs.

    Today’s sharp selloff has now dragged the Starpharma share price into negative year-to-date territory, with 2021 returns sitting at around -2%.

    Despite the company pushing ahead with regulatory activities for VIRALEZE for a number of important markets and geographies, investors are likely weighing in on the pause in UK sales.

    The post Why the Starpharma (ASX:SPL) share price is down 10% 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

    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 Starpharma Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Starpharma Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3zIX9lh

  • DGL (ASX:DGL) share price down despite positive update

    men working with chemical supply symbolising DGL share price

    The DGL Group Ltd (ASX: DGL) share price is edging lower in mid-morning trade on Monday. At the time of writing, the DGL share price was trading at $1.18, down 1.67%.

    This follows the chemical company’s latest announcement to expand its geographic footprint.

    What did DGL announce?

    According to its latest announcement, DGL is seeking to expand operations with a chemical warehousing, distribution and manufacturing facility. The site will store 5,000 tonnes of chemicals, taking DGL’s total capacity to 133,000 tonnes across Australia and New Zealand.

    Located in Irongate, an industrial zone in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, the plant will aim to capture new customers. The site is situated close to major roads and to Napier Port, offering significant logistical advantages.

    DGL is expected to spend around NZ$5 million (A$4.63 million) for construction of the new warehouse. This will be funded from the proceeds of the company’s Initial Public Offering (IPO).

    Local consulting engineers, Strata Group is in discussions to design the new facility. DGL noted that the Strata Group has been involved in several projects within the Irongate industrial area.

    The contract phase of the contract will be tendered in the last quarter of the 2021 calendar year.

    What did management say?

    DGL founder and CEO, Simon Henry commented on the company’s near-term plan, saying:

    This new facility further expands our footprint in New Zealand where we see ample opportunity for organic growth. Ensuring we have the right facilities, in key industrial areas across Australian and New Zealand, with proximity to customers, is and will continue to be a key priority for our business.

    We are assessing sites strategically, based on existing assets and customer demand. After identifying that there are no purpose-built chemical storage facilities in the Hawke’s Bay region, we saw a significant opportunity for DGL. The region is an industrial hub, renowned for its agriculture and forestry, and has a need for agriculture chemical formulations. We are well advanced in our discussions with new and existing customers for the utilisation of the facility.

    About the DGL share price

    Since listing on the ASX boards in late May for the price of $1, DGL shares have gained 20%.

    DGL has a market capitalisation of roughly $308 million, with 257 million shares listed on its registry.

    The post DGL (ASX:DGL) share price down despite positive update 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 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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2SOnnSD

  • Why Boral, Integrated Research, Swick, & Swoop shares are pushing higher

    Blue light arrows pointing up, indicating a strong rising share price

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the week with a sizeable decline. In late morning trade, the benchmark index is down 1.6% to 7,248.1 points.

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

    Boral Limited (ASX: BLD)

    The Boral share price is up 1.5% to $6.88. This morning the building products company announced that it has entered into an agreement with a subsidiary of Westlake Chemical Corporation to sell its North American Building Products business for US$2.15 billion (~A$2.9 billion). This is expected to lead to a significant surplus in capital, which could be returned to shareholders via a distribution.

    Integrated Research Limited (ASX: IRI)

    The Integrated Research share price is up 3% to $1.96 following the release of a trading update. This morning the user experience and performance management solutions provider advised that it expects its second half performance for FY 2021 to be significantly improved on the first half. Integrated Research expects its profit after tax to be in the region of $4 million to $7 million, up from $0.1 million in the first half.

    Swick Mining Services Ltd (ASX: SWK)

    The Swick Mining share price has jumped 20% to 19 cents. This morning the drilling services company revealed that its strong performance has continued in the second half. As a result, it expects full year revenue to be between $153 million and $156 million, with EBIT coming in between $14 million and $16 million. This compares to an EBIT loss of $2.8 million in FY 2020.

    Swoop Holdings Ltd (ASX: SWP)

    The Swoop share price is up 3% to 94 cents. This follows news that the junior telco has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Victoria-based wireless broadband provider, Kallistrate (Speedweb). Swoop will pay a consideration of $1.75 million, comprising $1.225 million in cash and $525,000 in Swoop shares.

    The post Why Boral, Integrated Research, Swick, & Swoop shares 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

    James Mickleboro does not own any shares mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Integrated Research Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3gO0vur

  • Swoop (ASX:SWP) share price up 5% after telco acquisition

    tech asx shares represented by two hands pointing at array of digital icons

    The Swoop Holdings Ltd (ASX: SWP) share price has surged up today after the company announced a new acquisition.

    Swoop is an Australian fixed wireless and wholesale network infrastructure carrier that listed on the ASX through the reverse takeover of Stemify Ltd (ASX: SF1).

    Stemify was formerly an edu-tech company with a market capitalisation of just $3 million. Swoop successfully took Stemify’s place on the ASX on 27 May this year.

    At the time of writing, the Swoop share price is up 5.49% to 96 cents.

    What did Swoop acquire?

    In today’s release, Swoop announced an agreement to acquire 100% of Victoria-based wireless broadband provider, Kallistrate Pty Ltd.

    This acquisition will cost $1.75 million, comprising $1.225 million in cash and $525,000 in Swoop shares.

    The acquired company operates under the name Speedweb, which offers fast and affordable high speed wireless broadband in the Gippsland and Latrobe Valley areas of Victoria.

    The company has a network of more than 50 towers and masts, with more than 1,800 services in operation to cover major towns including Morwell, Moe, Traralgon, Trafalgar, Churchill, Newborough and Walhalla.

    No phone line is required to use Speedweb services, which could be an advantage over competitors.

    Swoop’s existing network borders the Speedweb fixed wireless network in West Gippsland. Swoop believes this could be an opportunity to expand its network across that region and capture additional market share.

    What did management say?

    Swoop CEO, Alex West commented on the acquisition:

    Acquiring the neighboring network in West Gippsland is a fantastic opportunity for Swoop, it will neatly increase the coverage of our existing regional infrastructure footprint.

    We look forward to the opportunities this acquisition provides in terms of expanding our market share in the Gippsland region and we welcome the Speedweb customers to Swoop.

    The Swoop share price so far

    Before listing on the ASX, Swoop successfully raised $20 million at 50 cents per share.

    On its first day of listing, the Swoop share price ran as high as $1.33 before a $1.14 close.

    Despite a strong showing on its first day, the Swoop share price has slumped 20% to a close of 91 cents last Friday.

    This might come as no surprise given the short-lived upside of other recent initial public offerings such as MyDeal.com.au Ltd (ASX: MYD)Adore Beauty Group Ltd (ASX: ABY) and Youfoodz Holdings Ltd (ASX: YFZ).

    The post Swoop (ASX:SWP) share price up 5% after telco acquisition 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

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

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3cWoaYA

  • Why the Immutep (ASX:IMM) share price is sinking 16% today

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

    The Immutep Ltd (ASX: IMM) share price has returned from its trading halt and is sinking lower on Monday morning.

    At the time of writing, the biotechnology company’s shares are down 16% to 51.5 cents.

    Despite this decline, the Immutep share price is still up 22% since the start of the year.

    Why is the Immutep share price sinking today?

    The catalyst for the weakness in the Immutep share price this morning has been news that the company has secured commitments for a $60 million two-tranche institutional placement.

    According to the release, the placement was undertaken at an issue price of 52 cents per share, representing a 15.5% discount to its last close price. It was supported by multiple institutional investors in Australia and offshore.

    Immutep will now seek to raise a further $5 million via a share purchase plan at the same price.

    Why is Immutep raising funds?

    Immutep intends to use the proceeds received from the placement to fund an expanded clinical program.

    This includes a new Phase III registration trial for metastatic breast cancer and a new Phase II trial for a triple combination therapy with efti, anti-PD-1 therapy, and chemotherapy.

    Immutep CEO, Marc Voigt, said: “Never has there been a more exciting time to be the leading LAG-3 biotech, following the recent industry validation of this promising new immune checkpoint. Efti has continued to report compelling results from multiple clinical trials over the last year, including from key patient subgroups in our AIPAC study. Efti will be tested in different late-stage randomised settings which is a key step towards potential commercialisation.”

    “We are very encouraged to have received such strong support from multiple existing and new institutional investors for this financing. The funds will be used to expand our efti clinical development portfolio into late-stage settings, and significantly strengthening our strategic and business development options. They will also support the manufacturing process to reach commercial status as we advance towards registration,” he added.

    The post Why the Immutep (ASX:IMM) share price is sinking 16% 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

    James Mickleboro does not own any shares 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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3xCQBm6

  • GM doubles down on electric vehicles

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

    car being made

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

    Virtually all legacy automakers have started to invest in electric vehicles (EVs) over the past decade. In recent years, General Motors (NYSE: GM) has been one of the most aggressive with respect to EV investments.

    At its EV day in early 2020, GM revealed that it would invest over $20 billion in EVs and autonomous vehicles (AVs) through 2025. Despite the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the General has increased its investment plan — twice. This highlights General Motors’ determination to improve its competitive position in the auto industry as the EV revolution plays out.

    An ambitious agenda

    General Motors has big plans for EVs and AVs, captured in its vision of “zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion.” Its Cruise subsidiary is one of the leading AV developers and is on track to commercialize self-driving taxis within a few years.

    Earlier this month, Cruise became the first company authorized to offer fully autonomous ride-hailing (i.e., with no safety driver) to the public in California. And in April, Dubai selected Cruise as the exclusive provider of self-driving taxis for the city through 2029.

    As for EVs, GM plans to introduce 30 new EV models globally by 2025. More than two-thirds of those will be available in North America. General Motors is betting on vertical integration — similar to Tesla — to give it a competitive advantage over other legacy automakers. It has created a flexible battery platform called Ultium that will serve as the foundation for its future EV models. GM is designing electric motors, batteries, and cell chemistries in house and manufacturing battery cells through a joint venture with LG Chem.

    GM projects that its second-generation Ultium batteries — which will become available in the mid-2020s — will have double the energy density of today’s batteries and cost 60% less. That could get the company’s EVs close to price parity with traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

    To accelerate its EV roadmap, GM increased its investment plans last November, telling investors it would spend over $27 billion on EVs and AVs through 2025. Yet it wasn’t done.

    Boosting investment plans again

    On Wednesday, GM announced another huge increase to its investment plans. It now intends to spend a whopping $35 billion on engineering, capital spending, and other development costs for EVs and AVs through 2025. This will far outpace its spending on ICE vehicles over that period.

    The incremental investments will allow GM to build and open two additional U.S. battery cell manufacturing plants by mid-decade, for a total of four. The first Ultium Cells plant is slated to start production in early 2022, and GM announced its plans for the second Ultium Cells plant just two months ago. The latest investment shows that GM is more worried about being short of battery production capacity than having too much.

    General Motors is also ramping up investments in its HYDROTEC fuel cell platform. Moreover, it is looking for opportunities to expand beyond its core passenger auto business. It plans to develop its own electric commercial trucks, and it has struck agreements to supply fuel cells and battery systems for the heavy truck, railroad, and aviation industries.

    GM can cover the bill

    In conjunction with announcing its increased EV and AV investment plans, General Motors formally raised its guidance for the first half of 2021.

    Earlier this month, the automaker told investors that it expected its results for the first half of the year to be “significantly better” than its earlier forecast. Last week, GM put firm numbers on that guidance increase. It expects to generate an adjusted operating profit between $8.5 billion and $9.5 billion for the period, up from its previous estimate of $5.5 billion.

    CFO Paul Jacobson noted that GM will face ongoing headwinds from the industrywide chip shortage in the second half of 2021, along with significant commodity cost increases. As a result, the company hasn’t updated its full-year forecast yet. Nevertheless, General Motors is likely to beat its original full-year outlook by a wide margin, thanks to its stellar first-half results.

    In short, GM’s core business is firing on all cylinders. As chip availability improves and commodity costs normalize — or get passed through to consumers — profitability could improve further. That will give the General abundant earnings power to fund its aggressive investments in EVs and AVs, paving the way for a smooth transition to the next generation of transportation.

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

    The post GM doubles down on electric vehicles 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

    Adam Levine-Weinberg owns shares of General Motors. 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.

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



    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3qbHIh3
  • SILK Laser (ASX: SLA) share price climbs on equity raise update

    woman holding up a rising red graph

    The SILK Laser Australia Ltd (ASX: SLA) share price has come out of a trading halt today. This follows the laser, skincare, and cosmetic injections company’s update to its recent capital raising efforts.

    At the time of writing, SILK Laser shares are bucking the ASX trend, up 3.75% to $4.70. In comparison, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 1.3% to 7,522 points.

    SILK Laser completes placement

    One catalyst for today’s gain in the SILK Laser share price could be investor optimism over the company’s progressive plans.

    According to its release, SILK Laser announced it has completed a fully underwritten placement to raise $20 million. The company received support from a number of sophisticated and institutional investors.

    The offer will see approximately 4.7 million ordinary new shares, at a price of $4.30 apiece, allocated to participating investors. This represents a 5.1% discount on the issued shares prior to when the company went into a trading halt on 17 June 2021.

    SILK Laser will use the proceeds from the capital raise to partly fund the entire acquisition of Beauty Services Holdings Pty Ltd, LMD2 Pty Ltd and its broader group of entities. Together this group operates Australian Skin Clinics in Australia and The Cosmetic Clinic in New Zealand.

    It is expected that the acquisition will be completed at the end of August 2021.

    The new shares are scheduled to settle this Wednesday 23 June, with allotment on the ASX on 24 June 2021.

    SILK Laser CEO, Martin Perelman commented:

    We are pleased with the success of this equity raising. We are grateful to our existing shareholders, welcome our new shareholders and thank them all for their support, as we deliver on our growth strategy and solidify our market position in the non-surgical aesthetic industry.

    About the SILK Laser share price

    Since the start of June, SILK Laser shares have strongly rebounded after hitting a low of $3.80 on 4 June. As a result, the company’s share price is registering a 26% gain over the last 6 months.

    SILK Laser has a market capitalisation of around $213 million, with more than 47 million shares outstanding on its books.

    The post SILK Laser (ASX: SLA) share price climbs on equity raise update 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 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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3xB6xFI

  • Integrated Research (ASX:IRI) share price jumps 5% on trading update

    rising asx share price represented by woman jumping in the air happily

    The Integrated Research Limited (ASX: IRI) share price will be in investors sights this morning.

    A trading update from the company regarding its FY21 second-half performance is the latest news from the provider of user experience and performance management solutions.

    Prior to market open, the Integrated Research share price was sitting at $1.90. At the time of writing, the company’s shares are swapping hands at $2.02, up 5%.

    For better and worse

    According to the release, the company expects its second-half performance for FY21 to be significantly improved on the first half.

    Integrated Research is anticipating second half revenue to fall between $40 million and $45 million. This would be higher than the $34.1 million in revenue reported during the front half of the financial year.

    Likewise, profit after tax is expected to be somewhere in the ballpark of $4 million to $7 million, compared to $0.1 million in the first half.

    However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for the company. While the updated revenue and earnings guidance is ahead of the first half, it remains lower than the prior corresponding period in FY20.

    For that reason, despite the improvement in the last half of trading, Integrated Research reckons its full year performance will be down on the last year. On the top line, the range is $74.1 million to $79.1 million – compared to $110.9 million in FY20.

    On the earnings side, the company is forecasting $4.1 million to $7.1 million – compared to $24.1 million in FY20.

    Influencing the numbers

    Integrated Research has experienced a few speed bumps recently that is slowing down the performance of its IT solutions business.

    The uncertain environment created by COVID-19 has led to customers requiring shorter-term contracts, tight budget conditions and approval processes, and delays to purchasing decisions. These hurdles have stifled performance in recent trading.

    However, on a positive note, the company stated, “License fee revenue recognised in 2H to date already exceeds 1H with June being the strongest revenue month for the company.”

    Integrated Research share price recap

    The last year has been a tough one for Integrated Research shareholders. After quickly rebounding out of its depressed COVID lull, the Integrated Research share price reversed again.

    As of today, the Integrated Research share price is down 45% for the past 12 months. This compares to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has surged 23% during the same timeframe.

    The post Integrated Research (ASX:IRI) share price jumps 5% on trading update 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 Mitchell Lawler 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 Integrated Research Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2TPIrbw