Tag: Motley Fool

  • Maca (ASX:MLD) share price sinks 6% on Karara Project update

    a miner hanging his head down as if disappointed.

    It’s been a disappointing day so far for the Maca Ltd (ASX: MLD) share price. This comes after the company provided investors with an update into the current contract at the Karara Magnetite project.

    During mid-morning trade, the mining and civil construction company’s shares are down 5.92% to 79.5 cents.

    What happened to Maca?

    Shareholders are heading for the hills, selling Maca after following the latest unfortunate news from the company.

    In a statement to the ASX, Maca advised it has not been selected as the preferred candidate for the mining services contract at Karara.

    This brings the end to Maca’s current contract with Karara which is till March 2022. NRW Holdings Limited (ASX: NWH) announced earlier this morning, it has been awarded with a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the Karara Iron Ore mine.

    Maca stated that its $175 million acquisition of the Downer EDI Limited (ASX: DOW) Mining West business led to it previously novating the Karara contract. Pleasingly, the current performance on the contract has been in line with Maca’s projections and is expected to continue.

    The company noted that revenue and earnings remain broadly in line with market estimates for FY 2022. In addition, Maca will seek other revenue generating opportunities to fill the gap in FY 2023 and beyond.

    Maca CEO and managing director, Mike Sutton commented:

    Maca maintains a positive relationship with Karara Mining, and will continue to focus on delivering a quality service until the expiry of the current contract. Maca is pleased to have been involved in the Karara Magnetite project through the Mining West business, and thanks our client Karara Mining and our dedicated workforce, who will all be offered positions on other Maca sites at the expiry of the contract. Maca remains well positioned to replace the contract with one of the many material opportunities in the sector.

    Maca share price snapshot

    Since the start of 2021, Maca shares have continued their downward trend, falling 35% in value. The company’s share price is sitting at the lower end of its 52-week range of 76 cents to $1.515.

    On valuation grounds, Maca commands a market capitalisation of roughly $269 million, with approximately 341 million shares outstanding.

    The post Maca (ASX:MLD) share price sinks 6% on Karara Project 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.

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • The Telstra (ASX: TLS) share price just hit a new 52-week high

    asx share investor climbing up stairs of an upward trending graph

    The Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price has pipped its previous 52-week high today.

    In early trade, the communications giant’s shares jumped to $3.61 – 3 cents above its previous high. However, the enthusiasm has since cooled off slightly.

    At the time of writing, the Telstra share price is trading 2.56% higher for the day so far at $3.60.

    Telstra’s latest announcement

    Although not price sensitive, the company announced today that it will be solely listed on the ASX from 21 June 2021.

    Telstra originally revealed its intentions to remove its New Zealand listing back in March. The rationale behind the decision is to simplify its administration processes and streamline its shareholder services.

    Currently, investors can invest either via the ASX or the New Zealand stock exchange. However, from the close of business today, Telstra shares will delist from the main boards of NZX Limited (NZE: NZX). From next week, the only Telstra share price to be found will be on the ASX.

    If you are a shareholder through the NZX, don’t fret. All Telstra shares will be automatically transferred across to the ASX over the weekend. If you require further information, there are more details provided on Telstra’s website.

    Other recent events

    Reportedly, Telstra and other large Australian companies will leave some of their employees to fund the 0.5% increase in superannuation at the start of the new financial year.

    According to ABC News, a spokesperson for Telstra suggested around 5% of its workforce will have the increase taken from their base pay. The unlucky 5% were said to only comprise senior managers and executives.

    Meanwhile, the rest of its employees are on enterprise agreements that will see their base pay maintained.

    Telstra share price recap

    The Telstra share price has swung with some volatility over the past year. Back in July last year, Telstra shares were going for $3.51. Then, they swiftly fell to $2.69 following a disappointing FY20 result. And now, after planned structural changes, the Telstra share price is trading back above $3.50 again.

    Despite the resurgence, the company’s 1-year return of 12.7% is still underperforming the gains of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months, which currently sit at 24.5%.

    The post The Telstra (ASX: TLS) share price just hit a new 52-week high 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.

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia 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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  • Paradigm (ASX:PAR) share price is up 5% today. Here’s why

    Lab technician analyses a sample in a laboratory for a clinical trial

    The Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: PAR) share price is running higher today after the company announced key clinical trial approvals in Brazil.

    The Paradigm share price is currently up 5.5%, trading at $2.10.

    Paradigm is currently focused on repurposing pentosan polysulfate sodium (PSS) to treat a range of chronic diseases including osteoarthritis, bone marrow lesions and chronic heart failure.

    Clinical trial highlights

    In today’s statement, Paradigm has received approval from Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency for a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the safety of injectable PSS in subjects with Mucopolysaccharidosis type VI (MPS VI).

    Paradigm also received an ethics approval from Brazil’s National Research Ethics Commission to conduct the Phase 2 clinical trial.

    Also known as Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, MPS VI is a progressive genetic condition that causes tissues and organs to enlarge and become inflamed or scarred. Brazil has the highest concentration of MPS-VI sufferers globally, according to the company.

    The company’s primary objective in the Phase 2 trial is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of PPS in subjects with MPS VI across 6, 12 and 24 week time frames. It will recruit 12 participants, with 8 subjects receiving PPS treatment and four receiving a placebo.

    The company will also assess a number of secondary and exploratory endpoints, including pain and mobility, walking-related plan and quality of life.

    What did management say?

    Paradigm CEO Paul Rennie said:

    We are delighted to achieve this regulatory milestone during a busy period with the IND application process with the US FDA for our lead indication in osteoarthritis.

    Paradigm will be monitoring the current COVID situation in Brazil to plan the trial commencement and will update the market once a timeline is determined.

    Paradigm share price struggles post-COVID

    The company’s shares made a meteoric rise from $1.36 to highs of $4.50 between late August 2019 and early February 2020, just before COVID-19 hit.

    But after the initial March 2020 selloff, Paradigm shares haven’t quite been the same.

    The Paradigm share price has slipped 15% year-to-date and is down about 50% from its pre-COVID highs.

    The post Paradigm (ASX:PAR) share price is up 5% today. Here’s why 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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    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.

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  • ASX 200 up 0.5%: Altium guidance update, Afterpay & Zip jump

    A share market investment manager monitors share price movements on his mobile phone and laptop

    At lunch on Friday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to end the week on a positive note. The benchmark index is currently up 0.5% to 7,396.7 points.

    Here’s what is happening on the market today:

    Altium update

    The Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) share price is rising today after it released a trading update this morning. Although management warned that it could potentially fall short of its guidance for FY 2021, its positive commentary on the future appears to have offset this. In FY 2021, revenue is expected to be at the low end, or slightly below, its guidance range of US$190 million to US$195 million in FY 2021. However, management remains confident it can grow its revenue to US$500 million in 2025.

    Tech shares race higher

    Altium isn’t the only tech share rising today. The likes of Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) and Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) are charging higher following a strong night on the tech-focused Nasdaq index. A rotation from value stocks to growth appears to be behind this. This has led to the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) rising a sizeable 3.3% so far today.

    Telstra share price hits 52-week high

    The Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price has continued its positive run and hit a new 52-week high of $3.61 this morning. This means the telco giant’s shares have now risen by an impressive 20% since the start of the year. Investors appear optimistic that a return to growth is on the cards for the company in FY 2022.

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers

    The best performer on the ASX 200 on Friday has been the Zip share price with a 9% gain. This has been driven by improving investor sentiment in the tech sector. The worst performer has been the Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price with a 3.5% decline. This follows a pullback in oil prices overnight.

    The post ASX 200 up 0.5%: Altium guidance update, Afterpay & Zip jump 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.

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    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 AFTERPAY T FPO, Altium, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO, Altium, and 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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  • SILK Laser (ASX: SLA) share price frozen on acquisition news

    A dollar sign embedded in ice, indicating a share price freeze or trading halt

    The SILK Laser Australia Ltd (ASX: SLA) share price won’t be going anywhere today.

    The provider of non-surgical cosmetic treatments entered a trading halt prior to the market open. Since then, the company has unveiled an acquisition and associated capital raising.

    At the time of writing, SILK Laser shares are stuck at $4.53.

    Why is the SILK Laser share price frozen?

    According to the release, the company has entered a binding agreement to acquire 100% of Beauty Services Holdings Pty Ltd, LMD2 Pty Ltd, and their associated entities. Together these entities, known as ASC Group, operate Australian Skin Clinics in Australia and The Cosmetic Clinic in New Zealand.

    SILK has agreed to pay $47 million in upfront cash on a debt-free basis for the acquisition. Up to an additional $5 million in earn-out payments will be provided dependent on the opening of certain new clinics.

    ASC Group adds 56 clinics, taking SILK to 117 clinics under its banner. The clinics are comprised of 35 traditional franchise clinics, 4 corporate, and 3 joint venture clinics across five Australian states.

    Furthermore, 14 of the acquired clinics operate in New Zealand trading as The Cosmetic Clinic. Both Victoria and New Zealand will be new geographic entries for SILK.

    Commenting on the acquisition, SILK CEO and co-founder Martin Perelman said:

    The ASC Group acquisition is an exciting opportunity for SILK and delivers on our growth strategy. ASC Group is well aligned to our existing service offering and complements our existing network, whilst providing scaled entry into Victorian and New Zealand markets.

    SILK Laser noted that it expects network cash sales in the first full year of ownership to be $80 million, up from $72 million in FY20.

    The acquisition solidifies the Australian cosmetic company as the second largest non-surgical cosmetic provider in the country.

    How’s it being paid for?

    Of the $47 million upfront payment, $22.5 million will be covered by a new debt facility. Another $7.5 million will come straight out of the company’s piggybank.

    The remaining $20 million will be funded via a fully underwritten institutional placement at $4.30 a share.

    Additionally, the earn-out portion of the acquisition will be payable in SILK Laser shares, issued at a price of $4.38.

    What’s next?

    Based on the announcement, the acquisition is not subject to any approvals. The ACCC has confirmed it does not intend to review the proposed transaction.

    If all goes to plan, SILK Laser will complete its acquisition of ASC Group by the end of August this year.

    Lastly, the company reconfirmed its upgraded FY21 forecasts following strong momentum.

    The post SILK Laser (ASX: SLA) share price frozen on acquisition news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • BetMakers (ASX:BET) share price is racing 11% higher after this acquisition

    A group of happy young people watching sport on a laptop celebrate, indicating a win for sports betting.

    Shares in BetMakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET) have jumped today after the company emerged from its trading halt.

    The BetMakers share price resumed trading at the market open and is currently racing up 11% at $1.20 after the completed acquisition was announced. (And it’s not Tabcorp Holdings Ltd (ASX: TAH) assets).

    What did BetMakers acquire?

    In today’s release, BetMakers advised the completion of its acquisition of Sportech’s racing, tote and digital businesses.

    BetMakers said it had received the last of the approvals and clearances required to complete the acquisition. The company expects to formally receive a number of regulatory and other approvals post-acquisition, as well as begin to engage regulators across multiple jurisdictions.

    The company first revealed its Sportech acquisition on 1 December 2020, describing it as “transformational for the company’s financial and growth prospects”.

    The $56.2 million acquisition includes three of Sportech’s betting solutions businesses across the Americas, the United Kingdom and Europe, and its world-leading tote betting engine.

    Betmakers said the acquisition would materially expand its global customer base, technology and geographic reach. In particular, a platform to target growth in the key United States market, including pari-mutuel betting and fixed odds offerings.

    What did management say?

    BetMakers managing director Todd Buckingham said:

    The successful completion now allows us to continue to execute the next stages of our global strategy.

    It is not often that such compatible international wagering assets become available in our industry. Accordingly, BetMakers views this acquisition as a pivotal step in seeing the business become the centre of global wagering. We intend to continue to expand in all regions where we see complementary synergies for our business that fits this vision.

    BetMakers share price snapshot

    Today’s announcement offers relief for BetMakers shareholders, after a nasty 30% crash in the last three weeks.

    Despite making headway today, the BetMakers share price still needs another 25% to retest its 27 May record close of $1.60.

    With today’s gains, the company’s shares are up 72.8% year-to-date.

    The post BetMakers (ASX:BET) share price is racing 11% higher after this acquisition appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider BetMakers , 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 BetMakers 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.

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    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 Betmakers Technology Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Betmakers Technology Group Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Seven Group (ASX:SVW) shares jump as Boral takeover offer extended

    Man drawing illustration of a big fish eating a little fish representing a takeover or acquisition.

    Seven Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: SVW) shares are on the rise today after the company extended its takeover offer for construction materials company Boral Limited (ASX: BLD).

    At the time of writing, the Seven Group share price is trading at $21.76, 3.47% higher than yesterday’s close.

    Meanwhile, the Boral share price is also trending higher – up 0.59% to $6.77.

    For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is in the green as well, gaining 0.57% for the day so far.

    In an announcement to the ASX after Thursday’s close, Seven Group, a diversified investment company, has pushed the final date its takeover offer will close back by 5 days to 30 June.

    Takeover bid extended

    Originally, Seven’s takeover offer was to end on 25 June, but now Boral shareholders will have an extra 5 days to accept Seven Group’s offer of $6.50 per Boral share.

    The offer represented a nil premium on the previous closing price of Boral shares. Now, it’s an almost 4% discount to the current Boral share price.

    On receiving the offer, Boral quickly advised its shareholders to reject it, saying it undervalued the company.

    Boral released its target’s statement last week. Within it, Boral stated that Seven Group’s bid was opportunistic and might have valued the company at 40.5% less than its true worth.

    According to Boral, Seven Group was attempting to get a hold of Boral shares before the construction materials company began its strategy to increase its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) by $300 million.

    Seven Group currently holds around 23% of all Boral shares. As The Motley Fool reported at the time Seven Group’s takeover offer was placed, the bid was likely an attempt to evade “creep rules”. In this case, “creep rules” meant Seven Group couldn’t increase its stake in Boral above a certain point without issuing a takeover bid.

    Seven Group claims it would be happy to walk away from the takeover offer with a 30% stake in Boral.

    Boral share price snapshot

    The Boral share price is having a great 2021 on the ASX.

    Right now, it’s up by around 37% year to date. It has also gained almost 84% over the last 12 months.

    Seven Group share price snapshot

    The Seven Group share price needs all the good news it can get, and now we’ll have to wait an extra 5 days to potentially hear of it.

    Seven Group shares have fallen by around 7% since the start of this year. However, they’ve gained 23% since this time last year.

    The post Seven Group (ASX:SVW) shares jump as Boral takeover offer extended 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.

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    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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  • Why the Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price is storming 8% higher

    A young man pointing up looking amazed, indicating a surging share price movement for an ASX company

    The Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price has been a very strong performer on Friday.

    In morning trade, the payments company’s shares are up almost 8% to $115.80.

    Why is the Afterpay share price storming higher?

    There appear to have been a couple of catalysts for the rise in the Afterpay share price today.

    The first is strength in the tech sector after a positive night of trade on Wall Street’s Nasdaq index. The tech-heavy index stormed higher overnight after investors rotated out of value stocks and back into growth again.

    It isn’t just the Afterpay share price which is charging higher today. At the time of writing, the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) is up an impressive 3.6%.

    What else is supporting its shares?

    Also giving the Afterpay share price a lift on Friday has been a broker note out of Morgan Stanley this morning.

    According to the note, the broker has retained its overweight rating and $145.00 price target on the company’s shares. Based on the current Afterpay share price, this price target implies potential upside of 25% over the next 12 months.

    What did it say?

    Morgan Stanley has been looking into the company’s proposed Afterpay Money offering. The broker is very positive on its plans and believes it has the potential to almost double its revenue in Australia.

    In addition to this, it expects the offering to boost its core buy now pay later transactions, reduce processing costs, and generate high quality consumer data. Its analysts also see plenty of monetisation opportunities such as cashback offers.

    An internal pilot team at Afterpay is currently working on a skeleton app in production with functioning deposit and savings accounts, with iterative prototype testing continuing with customers ahead of an expected launch in the first half of FY 2022.

    The post Why the Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price is storming 8% 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

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    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 AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why the NRW (ASX:NWH) share price is edging higher today

    thumbs up from a construction worker in a construction site

    The NRW Holdings Limited (ASX: NWH) share price is edging higher during early morning trade. This comes after the company announced it has been awarded a letter of intent (LOI) from Karara Mining Limited.

    At the time of writing, the diversified service provider’s shares are swapping hands for $1.545, up 2.66%.

    What’s pushing the NRW share price higher?

    Investors appear pleased with the company’s latest update, sending the NRW share price higher in mid-morning trade.

    According to its release, NRW advised it has been selected for mining services works at the Karara Iron Ore mine.

    The works to be performed include load & haul, drill & blast and Run of Mine (ROM) re-handling with the drill & blast component. Works will be undertaken by NRW’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Action Drill & Blast.

    Once the agreement has been formally executed, NRW will begin procurement of key mining equipment. In addition, site mobilisation and establishment will begin during the months leading up to the scheduled works commencing March 2022.

    NRW is anticipating to spend around $170 million on the equipment over the life of the project. This includes the purchase of three 600 tonne Face Shovel Excavators and a fleet of 220 tonne trucks.

    The entire contract will run for a period of 5 years, and is expected to generate roughly $702 million in revenue for NRW.

    More on Karara Iron Ore mine

    Located in the Gascoyne region, Karara is the largest mining operation and one of only two operating magnetite mines in Western Australia. The large open-pit mine produces high-grade concentrate product for export to Chinese state-owned offtake partner, Ansteel, for steelmaking.

    Karara has grown the project to a multi-billion tonne mineral resource. The mine has an expected mine life of more than 30 years.

    Management commentary

    NRW CEO, Jules Pemberton welcomed the upcoming deal, saying:

    I am delighted that NRW has been selected by Karara as its preferred contractor for mining services.

    … With a strong local presence in the area through our Geraldton based DIAB Engineering business and our Mining contract with Gascoyne Resources at the Dalgaranga mine site, we look forward continuing to support the existing and highly experienced workforce on site through this transition, as well as creating employment opportunities for the Gascoyne region community.

    Karara CEO, Changjiang Zhu went on to add:

    NRW is an established West Australian-based mining and civil contractor with extensive open cut mining experience gained through a number of successful mining operations in the state. Offering new prime equipment, NRW has the capability to undertake the entire Karara scope of work comprising a broad range of mining, construction and engineering services. We look forward to negotiation of an agreement with NRW and commencement of mining services early next year.

    The NRW share price has fallen by more than 46% in 2021, and is down 19% since this time last year.

    The post Why the NRW (ASX:NWH) share price is edging 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

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    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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  • Investors are overlooking Amazon’s next $50 billion dollar idea

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

    Amazon grocery

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

    There’s no question that Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) was one of the catalysts for the worldwide e-commerce revolution, but also one of the biggest beneficiaries of the trend. Since its IPO in 1997, Amazon has been one of the market’s best-performing growth stocks, surging more than 195,000%. Last year alone, the e-commerce giant’s stock jumped 76%, propelled higher by massive pandemic-fueled growth in online retail.

    Amazon Web Services (AWS) began as a way to help third-party merchants create an online store on top of its existing e-commerce technology. What emerged gradually became Amazon’s largest profit center, representing nearly 12% of revenue in 2020 and 59% of operating profits.

    The company has another Trojan horse that has flown under the radar of most investors. Amazon has been slowly perfecting this revolutionary technology, which could represent a significant — and potentially lucrative — opportunity.

    Grab it and Go

    In 2017, the company debuted Amazon Go, a cutting-edge store that married artificial intelligence, a variety of sensors, and computer vision to eliminate the need to stand in a checkout line.

    Since then, Amazon has been slowly but surely perfecting the revolutionary technology. While it occasionally makes headlines, the technology is viewed as a novelty by many investors. That could be a big mistake. A review of how the tech works and a few recent developments could help illustrate the massive opportunity that remains.

    If you build it, they will come

    Customers enter the store using the Amazon app, and go about their shopping. A host of cameras and sensors detect and keep track of items the customer has taken from the shelves (or even things they’ve put back), running a virtual register tape as they shop. Because of the state-of-the-art technology, it isn’t necessary to stand in a checkout line. Once the customer leaves the store, their Amazon account is charged for the purchases and a digital receipt is provided via the app.

    Amazon pioneered this “Just Walk Out” technology in a small convenience store for its employees, but has been gradually expanding it to larger locations, refining the technology in two dozen stores around the country. The e-commerce giant opened its first full-sized Amazon Go grocery store early last year. At 10,400 square feet it was five times the size of its largest existing Go location.

    Just this week, the company took a “Fresh” approach. Amazon announced that it was bringing its Just Walk Out technology to the Amazon Fresh grocery store in Bellevue, Washington. At 25,000 square feet, the location sets a new watermark, at more the double the size of last year’s store record-setting debut. It also illustrates Amazon’s ability to continue to scale its cashier-less technology.

    Show me the money

    Amazon launched a side business in early 2020 to sell its automated checkout technology to other retailers, saying at the time that it had signed “several” agreements, though it declined to reveal the identity of these customers. Later in the year, airport shop operator OTG said it would equip its CIBO Express Gourmet Market at Newark Liberty International Airport with Amazon Go technology, with other locations to follow. A recent review of the first location raved about the ease and convenience of the experience.

    The opportunity selling or licensing this technology could be significant. Overall, automated retail represents a $50 billion opportunity, according to estimates provided by Loop Ventures. Even if Amazon captures just a fraction of this market, the rewards could be substantial.

    More where that came from

    J.P. Morgan Chase research analysts Christopher Horvers and Doug Anmuth made an eye-popping prediction this week. Amazon will likely overtake Walmart (NYSE: WMT) as the largest U.S. retailer by sometime next year.

    The analysts found that over the past six years, Amazon’s gross merchandise volume (GMV) — or the value of goods sold on its e-commerce platform — grew at a faster rate than both U.S. retail and U.S. e-commerce markets. They also estimated that Amazon’s GMV climbed 41% year over year to $316 billion in 2020, while Walmart’s GMV grew 10% to $439 billion. Given the current growth rates, Amazon is likely already breathing down Walmart’s neck.

    It would be a mistake to overlook Amazon’s culture of innovation and its massive scale, or dismiss the company outright. Given the available evidence, I would argue that Amazon still has a long way to “Go.”

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

    The post Investors are overlooking Amazon’s next $50 billion dollar idea appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Danny Vena owns shares of Amazon. John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, 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 Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2022 $1,920 calls on Amazon and short January 2022 $1,940 calls on Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon. 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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