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Strong performing ASX healthcare shares came few and far between in February. The S&P/ASX Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) was down 3% for the month, compared to the 1% increase in the ASX 200.  

From respiratory devices, vaccine producers to hospitals and hearing aids, most large cap ASX healthcare shares finished last month in the red. 

With the top end of town struggling, here are the 2 ASX healthcare shares that topped their peers in February.

1. Starpharma Holdings Ltd (ASX: SPL) 

The Starpharma share price pushed 37% higher from $1.50 to $2.08 last month. This follows a series of positive announcements from the dendrimer product (DEP) developer. 

The first in a string of announcements came on 9 February where the company provided an update on its AZDo466 product. The update highlights AstraZeneca’s intention to expand the ongoing clinical program for AZD0466 to include a multi-centre global Phase 1 study. AZD0466 leverages Starpharma’s DEP technology to improve the characteristics and therapeutic index of anti-cancer agents. 

Just four days later on 12 February, the company announced a research agreement with global pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. Merck & Co is one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, generating US$48 billion in revenue in 2020. 

The final positive announcement for the month came on 23 February where the company provided an update on its Viraleze antiviral nasal spray. 

Viraleze is an antiviral nasal spray that is also shown to be 99.99% effective against COVID-19 and stop infection when applied to cells before and after exposure to the virus. The update reveals that Viraleze has been successfully registered for sale in Europe.

2. Rhythm Biosciences Ltd (ASX: RHY) 

Rhythm is working on a simple, affordable, and effective blood test for the early detection of colorectal cancer, the third-largest cause of cancer-related deaths globally. The company’s ColoSTAT technology has the potential to become a screening test for colorectal cancer. 

Rhythm has advised of multiple hospitals joining its ColoSTAT clinical trials in recent months. More recently, on 11 February, the company announced that the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in Queensland will now participate in trials. This brings the total number of participating hospitals to 10. The trials aim to study the safety and effectiveness of the prototype test kits. 

While the ColoSTAT product is in its early days, the company aims to address the global market through mass screening programs. 

The Rhythm share price has delivered some explosive growth in the last 12 months surging from 6 cents to above $1.60 at various points. In February, the company added another 32% to close at $1.55. 

More reading

• Starpharma (ASX:SPL) share price slips after posting loss
• Here’s why the Starpharma (ASX:SPL) share price is rocketing 13% higher
• Why Bank of Queensland, MNF, Oil Search, & Starpharma are charging higher
• Why Advance NanoTek, Incitec Pivot, Starpharma, & Zoono are tumbling lower
• Why Novonix, Recce, Singular Health, & Starpharma shares are storming higher

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 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.

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The Jaxsta Ltd (ASX: JXT) share price is picking up steam in late afternoon trade. This comes after the company announced that it has signed a publisher data deal. At the time of writing, the music technology company’s shares are swapping hands for 8.6 cents apiece, up 1.18%.

What did Jaxsta announce?

The Jaxsta share price is racing higher towards the end of market close. Consequently, as investors fight to get a hold of its shares.

According to its release, Jaxsta advised that it has entered into a Commercial Data Access Agreement with Kobalt Music. The deal will run for a period of two years with an option to extend.

Under the terms of the contract, Kobalt Music will provide its publisher data. Thus, improving Jaxsta’s official music credits data information. This is seen as a critical step by the company to launch its Works product on its Jaxsta Pro platform.

In addition, the deal will supplement another set of data available. This will be licenced through Jaxsta’s Data Solutions and Commercial API. Currently, the company has two more paid deals which are scheduled to commence in April this year.

Furthermore, Jaxsta stated that the new agreement will be included in its revenue share for Data Solutions and Commercial API products.

Kobalt Music’s publishing roster represents a number of famous musicians. In particular, Billie Eilish, Beck, Diplo, Elvis Presley, Foo Fighters, The Weeknd, and many others.

Management commentary

Jaxsta founder and CEO, Jacqui Louez Schoorl, touched on the company’s prospects, saying:

Adding and marrying Publisher data with existing Record Label data to provide a deduplicated and deep-linked set of credits creates a unique world of new data integration possibilities for API data agreements with potential commercial partners. This deduplicated data is part of our Works product within Jaxsta Pro which we will be releasing in the coming months.

About the Jaxsta share price

The Jaxsta share price has performed modestly, gaining just above 13% since this time last year. Its shares hit a low of 1.3 cents in March 2020. Prior to accelerating in September, reaching a 52-week high of 18.2 cents.

Based on the current share price, Jaxsta has a market capitalisation of around $21 million.

More reading

• These small cap ASX shares surged more than 100% in February
• Here’s why the Neometals (ASX:NMT) share price is running higher
• ‘Buying the dip’ does NOT work: here’s why
• Here are 4 ASX shares that insiders have been buying recently
• Why the Nine Entertainment (ASX:NEC) share price just hit a 52-week

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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 small-cap space is always filled with explosive ASX shares looking to emerge as the next big thing. Here are the small-cap ASX shares that made headlines in February. 

1. Province Resources Ltd (ASX: PRL) 

The Province Resources share price surged an eye-watering 460% on 17 February. It’s a Cinderella story for a small-cap ASX share to announce the right kind of acquisition at a time where there is significant investor appetite for green projects. 

The company announced its intention to acquire Ozexco Pty Ltd. Ozexco holds 7 exploration licenses in the Gascoyne region in Western Australia, a region that is also one of the hottest and windiest areas with significant solar and wind potential. 

The initial exploration and evaluation will be focused on the salt, potash, mineral sands and renewable hydrogen potential over the tenement area. This would make Province the first listed green hydrogen player on the ASX. 

After surging from 2.6 cents to 14.5 cents in just one day, its shares have cooled down to close at 9 cents today. 

2. BARD1 Life Sciences Ltd (ASX: BD1) 

The BARD1 share price found itself running as high as 650% in just six days after the company announced that it’s SubB2M technology could detect all stages of ovarian cancer and disease recurrence.

BARD1 CSO Dr Peter French said:

Whilst this data is preliminary, these excellent results reported by the researchers at Griffith University support the commercial potential of SubB2M for both breast and ovarian cancer monitoring and detection.

This is ground-breaking research since Neu5Gc is a highly specific marker for cancer and BARD1 is using SubB2M alone or in combination with other tissue-specific cancer markers to develop highly-specific tests for breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers.

BARD1 plans to develop and commercialise SUbB2M-based blood tests initially for monitoring patients already diagnosed with breast cancer for treatment response and recurrence.

The company expects to report the outcomes of its SubB2M test validation studies by the end of Q3 CY21. 

3. Ioupay Ltd (ASX: IOU) 

Ioupay was arguably the dark horse of the buy now, pay later (BNPL) sector. While BNPL shares across the board were surging at the beginning of February, Ioupay was quietly waiting to announce a game-changer. 

On 9 February, the company announced that it had entered into a Merchant Referral Agreement with EasyStore Commerce to enable EasyStore’s merchants and end-user customers to utilise Ioupay’s BNPL payment services. 

EasyStore services more than 7,000 merchants across the South East Asian (SEA) markets, including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Some 5,000 of these are in Malaysia, with a growing portfolio of merchants in the US. 

In 2020, EasyStore merchants processed a total transaction volume of approximately $435 million. The two companies have started integrating systems with BNPL payment processing capabilities to begin onboarding merchants and approved customers by early March this year. 

It was almost as if the words ‘buy now, pay later’ were enough to send its shares into a buying frenzy. By 18 February, the ioupay share price had ripped 280% higher to a high of 85 cents before management decided it was time to announce a $50 million placement to support its growth initiatives further. 

More reading

• The Province Resources (ASX: PRL) share price zooms 10% higher today. Here’s why
• Why Afterpay, IOUpay, Liontown Resources, & Redbubble are racing higher
• Why the IOUpay (ASX:IOU) share price is charging 13% higher today
• BARD1 (ASX:BD1) share price plummets 15% on legal proceedings
• The IOUpay (ASX:IOU) share price is skyrocketing 30% today

Motley Fool contributor Kerry Sun 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 Neometals Ltd (ASX: NMT) share price is up today after the company announced that its Chinese partner, IMUMR, has started pilot plant trails at the Barrambie Titanium and Vanadium Project.

At the time of writing, the valuable metals miner’s shares are trading 1.49% higher at 34 cents after reaching an intraday high of 36 cents.

Located 80km northwest of Sandstone in Western Australia, Neometals owns the Barrambie Titanium and Vanadium Project. The company considers it the most advanced, undeveloped hard-rock titanium mineral resource in Australia.

Neometals has an approved mining permit for the site and has spent around $30 million in exploration and evaluation since 2003.

Pilot trials commence

In today’s release, Neometals advised that IMUMR has begun pilot trials on gravity concentrates following its recent test work in China. The previous work carried out confirmed results of conventional reductive roasting and magnetic separation of gravity concentrates.

IMUMR will fund and run the trials to substantiate the breakthrough process. It will show that gravity concentrate can be roasted and separated into two high-quality saleable products.

Neometals management said, “It is a significant step forward in realising Neometals’ goal to develop Barrambie as a capital-light concentrate operation initially and retaining the optionality to value add through downstream processing in the future.”

The pilot trials are expected to conclude sometime in the June quarter of this year. Product evaluation results from potential suitors will follow in the September quarter of 2021.

In addition, Neometals will seek to ramp-up discussions for a ‘build-own-operate-transfer’ arrangement.

About the Neometals share price

Over the past 12 months, the Neometals share price has gained more than 90% for investors. The company’s shares hit a multi-year low of 13.5 cents in the COVID-19 market rout of March 2020 before gradually moving upwards. It’s worth noting that last month, its shares hit a multi-year high of 42.5 cents.

Based on the current share price, Neometals commands a market capitalisation of roughly $185.4 million.

More reading

• ‘Buying the dip’ does NOT work: here’s why
• Here are 4 ASX shares that insiders have been buying recently
• Why the Nine Entertainment (ASX:NEC) share price just hit a 52-week
• Oil back to $100 per barrel? ASX energy shares could rocket
• The Atomo Diagnostics (ASX:AT1) share price is popping 7% today

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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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Common investment wisdom dictates that share investors should not try to time the market.

No one has a crystal ball and there is no way of knowing if there has been a trough until well after prices have risen back.

Yet almost every stock investor tries to buy the dip. 

After all, it’s human nature to try to pay a cheap price — and not just for shares, right?

So why do we have to avoid trying to time the dips?

‘Good deals don’t stay around forever’

Frazis Capital Partners portfolio manager Michael Frazis explained the reason in a very simple way to his investors last month.

Let’s say you think the market is overvalued now and that it will crash in the near future. So you’ve prepared a cash pile to swoop on the bargains when the dip comes along.

Frazis said it’s nearly impossible to execute this plan because no one knows the market has bottomed until after everyone has moved on.

“If you move to cash based on (whatever) macro fear, you usually have only the briefest of periods to enter at lower prices before the crisis passes,” he said.

“Good deals don’t stay around forever.”

The other scenario is that your prediction was completely incorrect and the share markets continue to rally. Then you’re underinvested and missing out on returns.

“You are stuck: you have to buy back in at higher prices and risk losing twice, or stay out of the market forever,” Frazis said.

So the best way is to just invest without regard to timing.

“We are doing what we did at the lows: staying invested.”

Frazis is optimistic about equities anyway.

“This is somewhat justified as US$1.9 trillion of US government spending is about to wash through markets and central bankers seem determined to keep interest rates at lower bounds,” he told investors.

“Those caught under-invested mid last year have had to buy in at higher levels or miss out completely.”

Mathematical proof that ‘buying the dip’ doesn’t work

Ritholtz Wealth Management director of research Michael Batnick and finance blogger Nick Maggiulli crunched some numbers in February last year as the COVID-19 market crash started happening.

If you invested $1 every day since 1990 in the S&P 500 (INDEXSP: .INX) since 1990 but put in an extra dollar on days when it fell by 2% or more, you’d end up with $41,079.

If you invested the same amount of money evenly each day over the same time period, you’d actually end up with a better return of $41,348.

It feels counterintuitive, but it’s a mathematical lesson not to try to buy the dip.

But you say $2 on dips is not enough. Let’s ramp that up to $100!

Well, would you believe it? According to Maggiulli and Batnick’s numbers, ‘buying the dip’ lost even more money! Evenly timed investments would have returned $176,732 while putting in $100 during the dips would have only ended up with $149,913.

Incredible.

“This is one of those rare pieces of analysis that might have an affect [sic] on how I invest,” said Batnick.

“The message is clear. Don’t wait to buy the dip — just keep investing, because the earlier you start, the better off you’ll be.”

More reading

• Here’s why the Neometals (ASX:NMT) share price is running higher
• Here are 4 ASX shares that insiders have been buying recently
• Why the Nine Entertainment (ASX:NEC) share price just hit a 52-week
• Oil back to $100 per barrel? ASX energy shares could rocket
• The Atomo Diagnostics (ASX:AT1) share price is popping 7% today

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo 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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From time to time, I like to take a look at what ASX shares insiders have been buying and selling. Although it’s not a definitive indicator to buy or sell a share, it can help to make a more informed decision.

Insider buying can demonstrate a strong belief in the company. At a minimum, it shows those at the top have skin in the game.

Here are some shares that have seen insider buying over the last few months.

2 ASX technology shares

ELMO Software Ltd (ASX: ELO)

The human resources and payroll platform provider announced to the ASX a change in director’s interest on 17 February. Independent non-executive director, Leah Graeve, made an on-market purchase of 1,531 shares, amounting to $9,924.66.

This occurred the day after ELMO Software released its half-year results. Despite the company reporting a 29.3% growth in revenue for the period, shares sold off the next day. Potentially, this provided an appealing price for the director to load up.

The ELMO Software share price is still trading below its pre-COVID levels, as are many other ASX shares. In the past 12 months, shares have fallen 27%.

Appen Ltd (ASX: APX)

When looking at the last 6 months for the artificial intelligence data services company, it certainly hasn’t been pretty. Disappointments and downgrades have wiped 51% from the Appen share price since September.

However, that’s didn’t stop non-executive director, Vanessa Liu, from grabbing $25,000 worth of shares on Christmas Eve. The disclosure to the ASX states the purchase was for 1,000 shares at $25.00 a pop.

As it turns out, the pre-Christmas purchase wasn’t much of a gift, as the shares have collapsed a further 33.5% since.

The Appen share price has fallen 25% in the past 12 months.

2 ASX medical shares

Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN)

Nanosonic shares have been climbing this week after the disinfectant technology company posted its half-year results last week. Initially, the market reacted negatively to the slower growth, which was impacted by COVID-19.

Two days later, non-executive director Lisa E. McIntyre loaded up with 8,150 shares. As shown in the disclosure to the ASX, the total investment amounted to $49,981. Only a day beforehand Morgans upgraded Nanosonics’ shares to an add rating with a $6.69 price target.

The Nanosonics share price has also underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), with the company’s shares falling 5.2% in 12 months.

Ecofibre Ltd (ASX: EOF)

The Ecofibre share price has been under pressure this month after the hemp health product maker announced disappointing half-year results. The company reported a 49% reduction in revenues and a substantial $5.5 million bottom-line loss. 

As the share price fell this month, so did the value of CEO Eric Wang’s recent purchase. In December, Eric Wang disclosed the purchase of 350,000 shares at a total value of $745,182. The value has since diminished to $446,250 based on today’s current price.  

The Ecofibre share price has fallen 49.6% in the past year.

More reading

• The Nanosonics (ASX:NAN) share price is down 25% in 2021: Time to buy?
• Why this fund manager changed his mind on Bitcoin
• The latest ASX shares that brokers have upgraded to “buy”
• ASX 200 up 0.3%: Mesoblast raises US$110 million, tech shares rebound
• ASM (ASX:ASM) share price jumps as scoping study supports $45m plant build

Mitchell Lawler owns shares of Appen Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Elmo Software. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Appen Ltd and Nanosonics Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Elmo Software and Nanosonics 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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Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) shares are on the rise today after the company announced some changes to its board. During intraday trade, the Nine share price surged more than 6% to reach a new 52-week high of $3.13.

At the time of writing, the media company’s shares have retreated back to $3.06, up 4.08% for the day with only moments of trade remaining.  

What’s driving the Nine share price?

The Nine share price is leaping higher today following the company’s announcement that board member Patrick Allaway has resigned. In a statement released to the ASX after close of trade yesterday, Nine Entertainment chair and former federal government treasurer Peter Costello announced Mr Allaway would resign by early April.

Mr Allaway commented on his upcoming departure, stating:

My time with Fairfax and now on the Nine board has seen much growth and change for our business and I have valued the work we have done together as a Board and with management to create Australia’s largest locally owned media company. It was always my intention to stay on the Board through the merger [with Fairfax] and to see the success we have created is gratifying.

He added:

With more intense duties now as Chairman of Bank of Queensland I have taken this opportunity to step down and allow for orderly renewal on the Nine board.

According to an article published yesterday by the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH), tensions have flared in the Nine boardroom between the three Fairfax and three Nine Entertainment members. Mickie Rosen, another board member with ties to the defunct Fairfax, is also considering his future at the company, according to SMH.

The third Fairfax board member, Nick Falloon, is currently under investigation for the alleged misuse of a corporate golf club membership.

CEO Hugh Marks also resigned in November last year. His resignation came following the revelation he was in a relationship with the former managing director of commercial, Alexi Baker.

Other recent news

In its half-yearly report, Nine reported a 108% leap in its net profit after tax. The company also paid a fully franked dividend of 5 cents per share for the period.

In other recent news, the media conglomerate penned a $30 million deal with Google owner Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) and is expected to sign a similar deal soon with Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB).

Furthermore, Channel Nine show Married at First Sight is currently the highest-rated program on Australian TV. On top of this, a Nielsen report from January, as reported by Mediaweek, listed nine.com.au, the Sydney Morning Herald, and The Age as the number 2, 5, and 8 most viewed news websites in Australia, respectively.

Nine share price snapshot

As stated, the Nine share price hit its highest point in 12 months during intraday trading today. Over the same period, the company has seen a phenomenal rise in its value. On 23 March 2020, Nine Entertainment shares were trading at 84 cents each. As such, today’s high watermark represents a 273% increase from the company’s 2020 bear market low.  

More reading

• ASX 200 drops, Appen sinks, Nine jumps
• Nine (ASX:NEC) share price on watch as profit doubles
• Facebook strikes first deal with Seven West (ASX:SWM) as media bargaining code looms large
• Facebook ban on Australian news ends
• Facebook vs Australia feud escalates as government pulls ads

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (C shares) and Facebook. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (C shares) and Facebook. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, hasn’t traded above US$100 per barrel since the heady days leading up to the global financial crisis. In other words, for more than 13 years.

The last time it traded above US$80 was back in October 2018.

Stymied by record level oil production from the United States, and driven by breakthroughs in shale oil production, Brent largely traded in the US$60–70 range since then. Right up until the end of January last year.

We all know what happened then.

COVID-19 entered the scene and demolished global demand for oil as air, land, and sea travel all but ground to a halt. By 24 April 2020, Brent was selling for US$21 per barrel.

Needless to say, ASX energy shares were walloped.

But as the price of crude has rebounded, so have the share prices of most ASX oil and gas companies.

Today, a barrel of Brent crude is trading for US$62.91. That’s up from US$51.80 since 1 January.

But crude prices could have much further to run.

Crude oil to US$100 per barrel?

Hayal Ahmadzada is Socar Trading’s chief trading officer. As Bloomberg reports, he expects to see global oil stocks, which swelled during the early months of the pandemic, to be depleted by northern summer.

According to Ahmadzada, Socar has already sold some 15 million barrels of oil it had stored earlier last year.

He also believes that today’s high steel prices will hinder oil companies from ramping up new supplies as the cost of new pipes and other steel-intensive materials for the industry has soared. “Ahmadzada comment “we may see a shake-out in that industry, due to very high steel prices”.

So when can ASX investors expect oil to reach US$100 per barrel again?

According to Ahmadzada:

I will not be surprised if we see $80 a barrel in summer or before year-end and above $100 a barrel in the next 18 to 24 months… It’s coming. Credit costs are much higher and the appetite for risk is much lower. The majors are cutting jobs and reducing capex. All the ingredients are there.

Two leading ASX energy shares

Australia has a number of listed companies working in the oil and gas industry.

Two leading ASX energy shares are Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH).

Since the 23 March lows last year, the Oil Search share price has rebounded 133%. The Santos share price bottomed out on 19 March and has since rocketed 166% higher. By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 50% from its own 23 March low point.

So far in 2021, Santos shares are up 14% while Oil Search shares are up 13%.

If Ahmadzada is correct and oil breaks through US$100 per barrel in the next 18-24 months, Santos, Oil Search, and indeed most ASX energy shares should enjoy some healthy tailwinds.

More reading

• Why Limeade, Oil Search, Platinum, & Whispir shares are sinking
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• The Santos (ASX:STO) share price dips on stable credit rating
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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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Atomo Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: AT1) shares are on the rise in afternoon trade today. At the time of writing, the Atomo share price has surged 6.52% to 24.5 cents.  

With no news announced today, let’s take a look at the company’s latest results update to see how it has been performing. 

An Atomo rundown  

Atomo is an Australian medical device company that supplies blood-based rapid diagnostic test (RDT) devices to the global market.

The company reported in its latest results presentation that its monthly production of blood testing devices increased during the first half of FY21 (1H21) from 750,000 per month to 1.6 million per month.

At the end of the 1H21 period, Atomo posted global sales of 3.5 million devices. The business also disclosed that an additional 2 million devices have been contracted for. 

Atomo produced some strong financial results for the half with a 389% hike in revenue and a 278% increase in gross profits compared to 1H20.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), on the other hand, came in at a $2.12 million loss for 1H21.

As of 31 December 2020, Atomo Diagnostics held $24.69 million of cash and no debt.

What’s on the horizon for Atomo?

Regarding what lies ahead for Atomo, the company stated that it will continue to drive the growth of its COVID-19 rapid antibody tests in Australia. Atomo is also pursuing opportunities internationally, including in the United States.

The business further highlighted its intention to create commercialisation agreements for new products upon completion. Atomo intends to continue investing in technology that supports both the company and its client base.

In addition to being contracted for 2 million more devices, an FDA Emergency Use Authorisation has also approved sales beyond this amount.

Atomo Diagnostics share price snapshot

The Atomo Diagnostics share price has fallen by 12.5% over the past month. Over the previous 6 month period, Atomo shares have fallen by around 37%.

Based on the current Atomo share price, the company has a market capitalisation of approximately $94 million with 565.4 million shares outstanding.

More reading

• Why the Atomo Diagnostics (ASX:AT1) share price closed 7% down today

Motley Fool contributor Gretchen Kennedy 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 Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) share price is not having a fantastic time of late. At the time of writing, Kogan shares have shed 3.4% to $13.79 a share. Not that there has been any major news out of the e-commerce company.

Well, apart from an ASX posting that informed the markets that Kogan’s new director, James Spencely, has an interest in his new company of approximately zero shares. Yep, zip and nada. That’s not exactly inspiring, but also probably not the likely reason why investors are selling out of Kogan today.

In fact, today’s move in the Kogan share price is actually a continuation of a trend that has been playing out for some time. Kogan lost a hefty 22% over the month of February alone. It’s also down almost 30% year to date in 2021 so far. And since it last reached its reigning all-time high share price of $25.57 back in October last year, the Kogan share price has lost 45% of its value. Ouch.

But, as Einstein taught us, everything is relative. Kogan is still way in front if you go back 12 months (up 211%). And if you backtrack 5 years, investors are still enjoying gains of around 805%. Not including dividends.

Still, Kogan has indisputably had a few months to forget. So why the pessimism from investors of late?

Kogan share price comes off the boil

Well, to answer that, let’s take a look at why Kogan shares rocketed last year to begin with. Kogan was one of the rare absolute winners of the coronavirus pandemic. With retail stores in lockdown last year, Kogan’s online store (which sells almost everything) suddenly became hot property. In its quarterly update for the 3 months ending 30 June last year, Kogan reported a gross sales increase of 95% and profit growth of 115%. That update in July helped push Kogan up another 20% when it hit its all-time high in October.

But here’s the thing. Investors can often get a bit carried away, especially with growth stock like Kogan. When presented with numbers like that, it can be easy to forget that it’s possible that those numbers were more of a pandemic-induced one-off than a ‘new normal’ for the company.

Kogan recently delivered its half-year earnings report for the 6 months to 31 December 2020. Even though it presented investors with another unquestionably strong set of numbers, it wasn’t enough to stop the Kogan share price fr0m tanking 9% that day.

Sometimes, investors just push a quality company’s share price too high. That is what might have happened last year. But although investors who bought into the hype back then are licking their wounds today, it’s all relative if you look further out.

More reading

• ASX 200 up 1.5%: Afterpay & Zip jump, Fortescue tumbles
• The Kogan.com (ASX:KGN) share price sank 22% in February: Time to buy?
• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares in February
• 2 ASX tech shares to buy in March 2021
• 2 ASX growth shares to buy in March 2021

Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The post Down 45% Is the Kogan (ASX:KGN) share price sinking back to reality? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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