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The Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price is soaring on Thursday morning.

At the time of writing, the airline operator’s shares are up 4% to $5.38.

Why is the Qantas share price soaring?

Investors have been buying Qantas shares today after the Federal Government announced a major $1.2 billion stimulus package to support the Australian tourism sector.

The package will see the government halve the price of almost 800,000 airline tickets in an attempt to get more Australians to spend on domestic holidays.

The Qantas response

This news has gone down well with Qantas’ CEO Alan Joyce, who believes this is the perfect time to launch the stimulus.

In response to the news, he said: “This support is fantastic news for aviation and for the thousands of businesses, big and small, that rely on the tourism industry. With the vaccine rollout now giving more certainty that state borders will stay open, this is the perfect time to provide stimulus and get people travelling domestically again, particularly given there won’t be any international tourists for another seven months.”

“In total, this package is a lifeline for broader travel and tourism sector in Australia, just as it’s trying to get back on its feet. Ultimately, it’s an investment in an industry that has always been a huge driver of economic activity and will be again,” added Mr Joyce.

What’s next?

The company notes that the stimulus program will support the company’s plan to increase its capacity from 60% currently to 80% in the fourth quarter of the financial year. In fact, depending on take-up, the stimulus could accelerate its capacity increase.

Over the coming weeks, Qantas will be working with the Federal Government to support the rollout of the stimulus program. Special Qantas and Jetstar fares will be available online from 1 April 2021 for travel from 1 May 2021.

At this point, Qantas intends to offer up to 32,000 fares per week discounted by 50% of median prices to key regional destinations such as Far North Queensland, Launceston, and Alice Springs. This will equate to a total of ~550,000 fares over the life of the program.

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• IAG (ASX:IAG) share price could jump with this other ASX share after a broker upgrade
• Should ASX 200 investors be worried about inflation? Janet Yellen isn’t…
• Legal action against ex Qantas (ASX:QAN) executive leaves share price on watch
• Is it time to buy these 2 ASX travel shares?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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 Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) share price has been a rags to riches story, from a company on the verge of collapse due to plummeting rare earth prices back in 2018 to taking leadership in the sector as the world’s second largest producer outside of China.

The Lynas share price surged ~80% last year on the back of higher rare earth prices and mounting interest for renewables-related investments. As more players aim to take part in rare earth production, could this pose a new threat to rare earth prices? 

Favourable market settings for Lynas Rare Earths 

In the company’s half-year results presentation, it highlighted the apparent effect of global megatrends in renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs) to underpin continued confidence in rare earth prices. 

Lynas pointed to accelerated demand for EVs with the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimating 40% growth in global sales of EVs in 2020 vs 2019. Other areas highlighted as supporting the demand for rare earths included the increasing use of wind energy, a growing consumer electronics market and emerging global smart homes market. 

When the Sydney Morning Herald questioned Lynas CEO Amanda Lacaze about the boom and bust nature of rare earth prices, her message was simple, “the rollercoaster is over”. 

Lynas Rare Earths 2025 growth vision 

Lynas has its sights set on improving its operational delivery and ramping up production in the near term. The company successfully completed a ~$425 million capital raising back in August 2020 to support a number of initiatives. 

The company’s flagship site, Mt Weld, is a tier 1 rare earths deposit. Proceeds from the capital raising will be used to complete the construction of a new rare earths processing facility next door in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The facility will be used to process rare earth concentrate from Mt Weld to produce mixed rare earth carbonate that will undergo further processing at the Lynas Malaysia Plant. Lynas is targeting the new site to be operational by July 2023. 

Lynas has also partnered with the United States Government to build a light rare earths plant and undertake detail work for a heavy rare earth separation facility. Once operational, the plant is expected to produce approximately 5,000 tones of rare earths products per annum, including approximately 1,250 tonnes per annum of NdPr. The NdPr material will be directly sourced from the company’s new plant in Kalgoorlie. 

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Motley Fool contributor Kerry Sun owns shares of Lynas 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.

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ASX fashion and beauty shares made a strong showing during the most recent reporting season. The retail apocalypse that many predicted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic failed to eventuate. Instead, many retailers have benefitted as consumers divert travelling spending to the retail sector.

Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1) reported record profits for the most recent half year, while Adore Beauty Group Ltd (ASX: ABY) saw sales eclipse prospectus forecasts.

Sales at jewellery retailer Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) are gaining ground as stores reopen globally, and Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV) has seen sales accelerate as online trade gathers pace.

So how did these ASX fashion and beauty shares perform in the first half of FY21? 

Accent Group 

Accent Group delivered a record profit in the first half of FY21 (1H FY21) as sales surged. The footwear retailer, which is behind The Athlete’s Foot stores, reported total sales of $541.3 million for the half, a 6.6% increase on the previous year.

Net profit after tax was $52.8 million, up 57.3%. “Our integrated digital and store operating model has delivered another record profit driven through strong sales and gross profit margin,” said CEO Daniel Agostinelli.

The company opened 50 new stores during the half, bringing total stores to 565. Digital sales were strong, up 110% on the prior year to $108.1 million. This represented 22.3% of retail sales, with Accent Group’s integrated digital model enabling the company to shift between channels fast when stores were required to close. 

Earnings per share (EPS) was up 56.9% on the prior year to 9.76 cents. A record interim dividend of 8 cents per share was declared. This was up 52.4%, reflecting Accent Group’s strong trading result and cash position.

The company ended the half with cash on hand of $72.8 million, up from $44.1 million from 1H FY20. Sales momentum has continued into 2021, with like-for-like retail sales up 10.7% in the first eight weeks of the year. Digital sales were up 65.4% over the same period.

Nonetheless, given the ongoing uncertainty around the impact of COVID-19, Accent Group has declined to provide full-year sales or profit guidance. 

Lovisa 

Fast-fashion jewellery retailer Lovisa saw revenues and profits fall during 1H FY21 due to the impact of temporary store closures and weakness in most global markets. Revenue was down 9.8% to $146.9 million while net profit after tax fell 22.6% to $21.5 million.

Comparable store sales were down 4.5% for the period, with Q1 heavily impacted by store closures in Victoria. Nonetheless, Lovisa’s continued strong balance sheet position has enabled it to reinstate dividend payments. An interim dividend of 20 cents per share was declared, representing a 5% increase on the previous interim dividend. 

“We are pleased with the performance of the business for the half year, in particular with the improving sales performance we saw through Q2 despite the continued global challenges we face with the impact of COVID,” said managing director Shane Fallscheer. “The strength of our balance sheet puts us in a great position to take advantage of future opportunities as they arise.”

Growth in the European and United States markets continued during the half, with four new stores opened in France and 14 in the US. Australian and New Zealand markets continued to be a standout with positive comparable sales for the half year, although the impact of Victorian stores being closed for an extended period resulted in total sales being down 0.4% on the prior year.

Trading has been positive in the second half, with comparable store sales up 12% for the first seven weeks of 2021. 

Premier Investments 

Premier Investments has seen sales accelerate during its most recent half year, which ended on 30 January 2021. Outstanding sales were reported across the Peter Alexander, Just Jeans, and Jay Jays brands.

Although the company has yet to release final results for the half, it has advised that earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) are expected to be in the range of $221 million to $233 million. This would represent a 75% to 85% increase on 1H FY20. The result will be driven by an 18% increase in like-for-like sales for the 24 weeks to 9 January alongside strong cost controls.

Online sales continued to accelerate during the half, increasing 60% to $146.2 million in the first 24 weeks of 1H FY21. Online sales deliver a significantly higher EBIT margin than that of the retail store network.

Premier Investments has also benefitted from COVID-19 rent abatements having reached agreements with key landlords. 

Adore Beauty 

Online beauty and skin care retailer Adore Beauty reported revenue of $96.2 million for 1H FY21. This was 8% ahead of the prospectus forecast and 85% up on the prior corresponding period, driven by strong customer growth and continued high customer retention.

Active customers increased to 777,000, 7% ahead of the prospectus forecast and 82% up on the prior corresponding period. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $5.2 million for 1H FY21 was 58% ahead of the prospectus forecast and up 188% on the prior corresponding period.

Adore Beauty ended the half with a cash balance of $25.8 million and no debt. “We have delivered record growth and financial performance, exceeding our prospectus forecast,” said CEO Tennealle O’Shannessy. 

As COVID-19 restrictions ease, Adore Beauty is expecting to deliver full year FY21 revenue growth above pre-COVID levels. This is thanks to the continued structural shift to online and strong retention of new customers acquired over the peak COVID period.

The company says it is well-positioned to capture market share in a large and growing market and is benefitting from structural tailwinds. These include the shift to online accelerated by the pandemic and the entrance of digital-native Millenials and Gen Z into the market.

As the business grows, Adore Beauty expects scale benefits to increase operating leverage and deliver further EBITDA margin expansion. 

ASX fashion and beauty shares shine 

ASX fashion and beauty shares have reported impressive results for the most recent half year despite the impacts of COVID-19. Increases in online sales have buoyed revenues as customers shift spending to digital channels.

Can ASX fashion and beauty shares continue to grow sales as the pandemic recedes in the face of the vaccine rollout? Investors will be eagerly awaiting full-year results to find out. 

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Motley Fool contributor Kate O’Brien has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Premier Investments Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The EML Payments Ltd (ASX: EML) share price could be worth looking into right now with the level of growth that it’s achieving at the moment.

What does EML Payments do?

EML Payments develops tailored payment solutions for organisations to make it easier for their customers to pay or transfer money.

The business says that it has next-generation technology which gives clients the options for disbursement payouts, gifts, incentives and rewards. In FY21 the company is expecting to process over $18 billion in gross debit volume (GDV) in 28 countries across North America and Europe, as well as Australia.

Its payment solutions can be processed in 27 currencies. EML says those payments are safe, secure, easy and flexible.

What has the EML share price done recently?

The last 12 months have been pretty volatile for EML Payments. Just under a year ago, EML bottomed during the COVID-19 crash at $1.33.

By the end of 2020, EML shares had risen 214% from the worst point in the crash.

The EML share price has risen 18% since it reported its half-year result to investors, which included numerous growth statistics.

How good was the report?

EML reported that for the six months to 31 December 2020, group gross debt volume of $10.2 billion, up 54%. Revenue grew by 61% to $95.3 million, underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 42% to $28.1 million and underlying net profit (NPATA) grew by 30% to $13.2 million.

Underlying operating cash flow went up by 68% to $35.1 million.

Whilst volume translates to revenues at different rates depending on the segment, management said that GDV is an indicator of demand for its payment services.

GDV from its general purpose reloadable (GPR) segment grew GDV by 233% to $4.87 billion despite the lockdowns and social distancing in key markets of Spain, France and the UK. Whilst the acquired business Prepaid Financial Services (PFS) made $3.12 billion – better than management’s expectations – the non-PFS businesses grew 25% year on year, with good organic growth in salary packaging (up 60%) and gaming (up 42%).

Gift and incentives saw continued difficult challenges because of shopping centre closures, lockdowns and social distancing regulations, with GDV falling 11% to $0.75 billion. EML is expecting this division to recover in FY22 as economies re-open.

The virtual account numbers (VANs) segment saw GDV growth of 6%, largely driven by volume from existing customers. The December exit run rate finished at $815 million per month, up 20% on the same month last year, which the company said was a positive sign for the rest of the year.

Why the EML share price could be worth looking at

Broker UBS rates EML shares as a buy. It has a share price target of $5.70 for EML. The broker believes growth can continue for the business and that investors may become more confident about its potential again.

For the full FY21 result, EML is expecting revenue to grow by 48% to 56%, EBITDA to grow by 54% to 66% and underlying net profit is expected to grow by 25% to 40% to $30 million to $33.5 million.

It has continued to sign new contracts with customers in each segment and has been seeing more activity.

In the GPR segment, it has signed 55 contracts and in the gift and incentive segment it has signed 19 contracts. In the VANs segment, it has signed five contracts.

More reading

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Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends EML Payments. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended EML Payments. 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 tech shares could be worth looking at right now with volatility picking up.

Some technology businesses have been sold in recent weeks, so investors may be able to find a nicely priced business on the ASX share market.

These technology businesses are reporting double digit levels of growth in FY21 and could be worth thinking about:

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

This ASX tech share has been one of the most popular businesses that has seen strong growth since the onset of COVID-19. Despite yesterday’s 8.8% gain, the Temple & Webster share price is still down by 24% since 15 February 2021.

However, if an investor just focuses on the reported growth then they’d see that Temple & Webster is generating a good increase compared to the prior corresponding period.

In the half-year result, Temple & Webster said that its active customers jumped 102% to 678,000. This helped revenue grow 118% to $161.6 million. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) went up by $12.5 million, or 556% in percentage terms, to $14.8 million. Net profit after tax (NPAT) grew by $9.3 million, or 320% in percentage terms, to $12.2 million – this included a $2.4 million of tax expense in HY21, whilst HY20 had an income tax benefit of $0.9 million.

The ASX tech share is demonstrating operating leverage with its improving profit margins. Fixed costs as a percentage of sales decreased from 11.6% to 7.5%.

The company is working on a number of strategies to help its high-growth strategy. It’s accelerating its investment in digital and ‘above the line’ marketing to outgrow the market. Temple & Webster is using price and promotions to drive first time customers. The business is investing in its people to strengthen its technology, data, personalisation, private label and delivery experience moats. The final aim is growing its business to business sales and operational teams.

Growth has continued into the second half, with year on year revenue growth of 118% to 23 February 2021.

Temple & Webster is aiming to become the largest retailer of furniture and homewares in its home market, similar to international peers.

According to Commsec, the Temple & Webster share price is valued at 32x FY23’s estimated earnings.

Class Ltd (ASX: CL1)

This is an ASX tech share that provides cloud accounting software predominately for the self-managed super fund sector. Broker Ord Minnett currently rates Class as a buy with a share price target of $2.40.

However, it also has other Class products. One is called Class Trust for, you guessed it, trusts. Class Portfolio is software that manages the administration, accounting and reporting needs for clients’ investment portfolios.

Class has also been acquiring bolt-on software providers. This has expanded its ability to service customers. NowInfinity provides a suite of solutions which aims to simplify the management of entities and registers.

The ASX tech share has been increasing its customer base, partly through the acquisitions, which allows it to cross-sell its services to all of those different clients.

In HY21, the software business saw revenue growth of 27% to $25.9 million and EBITDA growth of 29% to $10.4 million.

As a result of the ReckonDocs acquisition, it decided to increase its revenue growth target for FY21 to 22% with an underlying EBITDA margin target of 40%.

The ASX tech share’s multi-software offering is winning over key clients such as Findex which signed up for the NowInfinity documentation suite. It’s already using many of the other products including SMSF, Portfolio, NowInfinity Trust Register and Corporate Compliance.

According to Commsec, the Class share price is valued at 20x FY23’s estimated earnings.

More reading

• Here are some of the best performing ASX tech shares today
• Down 32%: Why the Temple & Webster (ASX:TPW) share price could be a buy
• 2 COVID-19 amplified ASX shares to buy
• 2 quality SaaS ASX shares to buy in March 2021
• Temple & Webster (ASX:TPW) share price sinks 8% despite 550% profit increase

Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Temple & Webster Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Class Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended 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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This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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

Roblox (NYSE: RBLX), the world’s most popular gaming site for children, debuted on the public markets on Wednesday, initially soaring more than 42% from its reference price of $45 set by the New York Stock Exchange, roughly the same price paid by private investors earlier this year. 

Roblox shares began trading at approximately 1:33 p.m. EST at $64.25, gaining as much as 52% in the minutes following its debut. As of this writing, the stock is still gaining ground, up 64% to about $73.80, valuing the company at roughly $46 billion. 

The company’s gaming platform has been a hit with the tween crowd. Roblox’s 32.6 million daily active users (DAUs) grew 85% year over year in 2020. Engagement also soared, as hours spent increased 124% to 30.6 billion hours, or roughly 2.6 hours per user per day.

In recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Roblox said that for the year ended Dec. 31, 2020, it generated revenue of $924 million, up 82% year over year, accelerating from 56% growth in 2019. Losses also grew at a rapid clip, with a net loss of nearly $258 million, worsening from a loss of $71 million in 2019. 

Roblox originally planned its initial public offering (IPO) in December, but the company postponed its debut in the face of triple-digit opening-day stock-price gains by companies including C3.ai (NYSE: AI) and Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB), which gained 120% and 112%, respectively, on their first day of trading. This made the pricing of its shares more difficult, with companies leaving billions of dollars on the table.

In light of the uncertainty, Roblox eventually settled on a direct public offering (DPO), or direct listing, hoping it would gain greater control over the pricing in the process.

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

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Danny Vena has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Airbnb, 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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This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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ASX medical shares reported some positive results in the most recent reporting round. The medical sector is a popular choice for both growth and income investors.

More mature shares such as Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH) and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp Ltd (ASX: FPH) are able to offer dividends to investors while also investing in R&D.

Earlier stage companies such as Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) and Avita Medical Inc (ASX: AVH) are on the journey to commercialisation, investing revenues in product development and growth. So how did these ASX medical shares perform in the most recent half-year? 

Polynovo

PolyNovo reported a 31.2% increase in sales of its NovoSorb BTM product in the first half of FY21 (1H FY21), sales reaching $11.25 million. The NovoSorb BTM product is an implantable wound dressing that can be integrated into the body as it heals. US sales increased 41% during the half, with 22 new US customers signed despite the challenges of COVID-19.

With elective surgeries reduced globally, revenues have been lumpy. Access to hospitals and surgeons has also been impacted. Nonetheless, regulatory approval for the product was granted in Taiwan, Turkey, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Greece during the half.

First sales to distributors in Taiwan and Finland were also achieved. PolyNovo reported a net loss of $3.54 million for the half, finishing 2020 with cash on hand of $7.66 million. 

Research and development activities are focused on the potential for NovoSorb technology to be used to treat hernias and in reconstructive medical devices. PolyNovo is building a factory in Port Melbourne, to manufacture hernia products, which is expected to be completed this month.

The company is examining product configurations to meet surgeon and patient needs. The regulatory strategy is also being refined to ensure the best pathway to FDA approval.

Concurrently, PolyNovo is considering prototypes and looking at partnership opportunities to accelerate market entry, with the preferred pathway to be announced in July. 

Avita Medical 

Avita Medical reported a 57% increase in revenue in the quarter ended 31 December 2020, with global revenue of $5.1 million. US-based RECELL revenue accounted for $5 million, a 62% increase over the prior corresponding period. The RECELL system uses spray-on skin technology to treat wounds and aid soft tissue reconstruction.

“I’m proud of our progress over the last quarter as we strive to broaden the application of our platform,” said CEO Dr Mike Perry. “Our sales team is poised and ready to drive utilization as the pandemic abates and we regain access to hospitals and patients.”

Operating expenses for the second quarter of FY21 were $10.4 million, leading to a net loss of $6.6 million for the quarter. The company had cash of $59.8 million at 31 December 2020. 

Avita Medical has declined to provide full-year financial guidance due to uncertainty surrounding the pandemic. COVID-19 and other factors may mean hospitals are unable to treat patients, or must delay the treatment of patients, which would negatively impact revenues.

In February Avita raised US$69.1 million via an offering of common stock. Proceeds will be used to fund its product development pipeline and pursue approvals of products for additional indications. 

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare 

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s current financial year ends on 30 March 2021 after which full-year results will become available. In a trading update covering the nine months to 31 December 2020, the healthcare company advised that operating revenue was up 73% on a constant currency basis.

“We have continued to see an influx of COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalisation for respiratory treatment, said CEO Lewis Gradon. “Given the elevated hospitalisation rates for COVID-19, our hospital hardware sales have continued to be very strong, as has the use of our hospital hardware.”

Operating revenue in the hospital product group, which includes products used in acute and chronic respiratory care, grew 113% over the nine months to the end of 2020. 

Given the uncertainty surrounding the course of the pandemic, Fisher & Paykel has declined to provide formal guidance for the full 2021 financial year. In November, the company advised full-year operating revenue would be approximately $1.72 billion, with net profit after tax approximately $400 million to $415 million.

More recently, however, Fisher & Paykel has advised that these assumptions are outdated, with revenue and net profit after tax expected to be higher than previously estimated. 

Cochlear 

Cochlear experienced improving momentum in 1H FY21 as implant surgeries recovered following COVID shutdowns. The pace of recovery, however, has varied across countries. Strong growth was recorded in the US, Japan, Korea, and China, with a slower recovery across most emerging markets.

Cochlear implant units declined 8% compared to the prior corresponding period with developed markets up 5% and emerging markets down around 30%. Sales revenue declined 4% to $742.8 million with the first quarter down 8% and the second quarter up 7%.

Underlying net profit fell 6% to $125.3 million, but statutory profit increased 50% to $236.2 million thanks to innovation fund gains, COVID government assistance, and patent litigation-related tax and other benefits. 

Cochlear reintroduced its dividend in 1H FY21 thanks to improved trading conditions and cash flow generation. An interim dividend of $1.15 per share was declared, representing a payout ratio of 60% of underlying net profit.

The company is committed to maintaining a dividend policy that targets a 70% payout of underlying net profit, and anticipates returning to this ratio as markets improve. For FY21, Cochlear expects to deliver an underlying net profit of $225 million to $245 million, which would be a 46% to 59% increase on underlying net profit for FY20.

Although there continues to be uncertainty about the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cochlear is increasingly confident of the resilience of the hearing implants business. 

ASX Medical shares 

Some ASX medical shares, such as Fisher & Paykel, have performed well due to the COVID-19 epidemic, which is driving sales. Others, such as Cochlear, have had performance impacted by lockdown disruptions, however, signs of momentum are emerging.

Investors will be watching conditions closely as the vaccine rolls out to see how these ASX medical shares perform. 

More reading

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• What’s happening with the PolyNovo (ASX:PNV) share price?

Kate O’Brien owns shares of Avita Medical Limited, Cochlear Ltd., and POLYNOVO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Avita Medical Limited, Cochlear Ltd., and POLYNOVO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Avita Medical Limited and Cochlear Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK) share price will be one to watch on Thursday.

This follows the announcement of further leadership changes in the c-suite this morning.

What did SEEK announce?

Hot on the heels of the appointment of Ian Narev as the company’s next Chief Executive Officer, the company has found its new Chief Financial Officer.

According to the release, SEEK has appointed Kate Koch as its new Chief Financial Officer. She will replace the outgoing Geoff Roberts when he retires at the end of June. Mr Roberts’ retirement was previously announced to the market in January.

Koch will join the SEEK Executive Team on 10 June 2021, reporting to Ian Narev.

SEEK’s new Chief Financial Officer

The release explains that Koch is currently the Chief Financial Officer of RMIT University, having held that role since 2017.

Prior to that, she had broad international experience as a senior finance executive in the retail, publishing, and media industries. This includes time as the Group Head of Finance & Performance at UK supermarket giant Tesco and also as the Chief Financial Officer of the Financial Times Group.

SEEK’s incoming CEO, Ian Narev, who is replacing the outgoing Andrew Bassat on 1 July, was very pleased with the appointment.

Mr Narev commented: “Kate has experience across multiple industries, geographies, and finance roles. She understands how to lead large finance teams in multinational businesses that operate in highly competitive markets.”

“Through this range of roles, she has distinguished herself as a caring and values-driven leader, who builds diverse, high-performing teams. She has been attracted by SEEK’s purpose and values, and by its growth potential. We feel very fortunate that she has chosen to join SEEK, to lead the committed and talented team that Geoff Roberts has developed,” he concluded.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of SEEK Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended SEEK Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The post SEEK (ASX:SEK) share price on watch after naming its new CFO appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

As soon as all the existing supplies of Apple Inc‘s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iMac Pro run out, it will be the end of the line for the desktop computer that made its first appearance in 2017 and was once the most powerful computer the company made.

Apple has confirmed it is discontinuing the line after the sharp-eyed readers of the Apple news website MacRumors noticed a “while supplies last” tag on the iMac Pro’s configuration web page.

The non-Pro iMac has since become Apple’s most popular computer and in certain configurations challenged the Pro on performance (and price). Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported Apple intended to further update the iMac with a new design as it transitioned away from Intel‘s processors to its own M1 chips.

As its name suggested, the iMac Pro was not intended for the average consumer, but rather for those needing professional-level video editing, audio processing, and graphics capabilities. But all of that excess processing power came with a hefty starting price of $5,000, which could quickly run to over $10,000.

After its introduction, Apple failed to significantly update any of the Pro’s hardware, and now with all the talk of sweeping changes to the base model, the discontinuation of the Pro version is not necessarily surprising. And with a spring event reportedly taking place this month, the tech giant may yet reveal what could become the successor to the iMac Pro.

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

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• Nasdaq slumps overnight, ASX 200 shares to open weaker

Rich Duprey has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Apple. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Intel and recommends the following options: short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple, long January 2023 $57 calls on Intel, short January 2023 $57 puts on Intel, and long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The post Apple is killing off the iMac Pro appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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Although the Australian share market took a tumble on Wednesday, that didn’t stop some shares from charging higher.

In fact, three ASX shares were in such strong form that they charged to new record highs. Here’s why these ASX shares are flying high right now:

Hansen Technologies Limited (ASX: HSN)

The Hansen share price jumped to a record high of $5.28 on Wednesday. Investors were buying the billing technology company’s shares after it announced a master services agreement with Telefónica Germany. The $25 million five-year deal will see Hansen deliver its Cloud Native Communications product suite through a prepaid subscription to support the telco’s operations. This led to Hansen upgrading its guidance for FY 2021. It now expects constant currency revenue of $316 million to $326 million with an underlying EBITDA margin of 37% to 39%.

Sealink Travel Group Ltd (ASX: SLK)

The SeaLink share price stormed to a record high of $9.06 yesterday. This latest gain means the travel and transport company’s shares are now up over 125% since this time last year. The catalyst for this was a game-changing acquisition and its very strong half year result in February. Also giving the SeaLink share price a boost on Wednesday was news that Macquarie has upgraded its shares to an outperform rating with a $9.50 price target. The broker is becoming increasingly more positive on the company’s outlook.

Silk Laser Australia Ltd (ASX: SLA)

The Silk Laser share price continued its positive run and hit a record high of $5.02 on Wednesday. This means the laser clinic company’s shares are now up over 45% since its December IPO. Investors have been buying Silk Laser’s shares since the release of an impressive half year result in February. For the six months ended 31 December, the company reported a 62% increase in network sales to $44.9 million and a 305% jump in net profit after tax to $4.7 million. This strong first half led to management upgrading its guidance for the full year.

More reading

• The Hansen Technologies (ASX:HSN) share price is hitting a 52-week high
• Why Afterpay, Gold Road, Hansen, & Silver Lakes shares are charging higher
• Why the Hansen (ASX:HSN) share price will be on watch today
• 2 fast-growing ASX small cap shares to buy
• Hansen Technologies (ASX:HSN) share price rises on profit surge

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

The post These 3 ASX shares have just stormed to record highs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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