Tag: Motley Fool

  • 2 ASX dividend shares to buy today for income

    dividend shares

    Owning ASX dividend shares that pay you a cash yield can be a wonderful experience. But in today’s near-zero interest rate environment, it has become even more important to aim for yield in one’s ASX share portfolio (if income is part of your investing objectives anyway).

    Many investors are struggling with the realities of TINA these days – which stands for ‘There Is No Alternative’. Since interest rates are just 0.1% as of this month, investors looking for any kind of yield on capital pretty much have to turn to the share market (despite the risks). That’s because cash and bonds no longer provide any real returns at a cash rate of 0.1%.

    So here are 2 ASX dividend shares that Motley Fool analysts rank as ‘buys’ today

    2 ASX dividend shares to buy today for income

    Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

    Transurban Group is Australia’s largest toll-road operator. If you’ve driven on a toll road in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane recently, chances are you paid Transurban for the privilege. The company owns most of Sydney’s tolled motorways. That includes a stake in the mammoth WestConnex project, which is on track to be completed over the next few years. It is also benefitting from the recent opening of the ‘NorthConnex’ tunnel, which bypasses a well-known Sydney bottleneck.

    Transurban was hit by the coronavirus lockdowns earlier in the year, which forced it to cut its final dividend payout this year to 16 cents a share (down from 30 cents in 2019). Even so, Transurban still offers a trailing yield of 3.18% on current pricing. Transurban is currently rated as a ‘buy’ by the Motley Fool’s Everlasting Income service.

    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

    Despite the Telstra share price rising almost 10% over the past month, the company still offers a hefty dividend on current pricing. Telstra paid out 16 cents per share in fully franked dividends in 2020, a payout level it is also aiming to maintain in 2021 and beyond. That gives Telstra shares a trailing yield of 5.13% (7.33% grossed-up) at the share price of $3.13.

    Telstra has been making waves recently with the announcement of a major restructuring last week. Investors have evidently been impressed by the InfraCo Towers, InfraCo Fixed and ServeCo divisions that Telstra will be split into. Well, judging by the recent share price movements anyway. There is speculation that the restructuring will allow Telstra to buy the national broadband network back off the government sometime in the future as well.

    Telstra is also currently rated as a ‘buy’ by the analysts at the Motley Fool’s Everlasting Income service, as well as our Dividend Investor service.

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    Returns As of 6th October 2020

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Transurban Group. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why REA Group (ASX:REA) share price is trading lower after AGM

    Property Balancing

    The REA Group Limited (ASX: REA) has dipped 1.31% to $138.34 today after reporting a drop in first quarter revenue, and an uncertain guidance for the rest of 2021. This was announced during the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) this afternoon. 

    A look at the books for FY20

    The property group also advised that its Asian business contributed $47.9 million of revenue and EBITDA of $8.9m, while North American operations’ revenue fell 2% to USD$473 million due to the impact of COVID-19 in the fourth quarter.

    Other AGM highlights and first quarter FY21 results

    Pinpointing data as its most valuable asset, REA Group said its goal was to become Australia’s property data authority. It has cemented its number one position through realestate.com.au as Australia’s premier property site, with a record 46.2 million app launches in June alone, and topping more than 10 million downloads.

    The company also reported its first quarter result showed $196 million of revenue, down 3% from the same period last year. EBITDA for Q1 is $124 million, which is an 8% increase. REA said that the full-year outlook for FY21 remained uncertain with ongoing volatility expected as a result of the pandemic.

    A brief look into REA

    REA Group operates the realestate.com.au property listing website, amongst others. It has a significant lead over its main competitor, domain.com.au, which is owned by Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC). Revenue from realestate.com.au is three times larger than Domain. 

    The group has also made some strategic investments such as Flatmates.com, which allows the company to tap into a younger audience. Information gathered by REA is used to offer cross-services such as utility connection and mortgage broking.

     The company also has interests in international businesses, including a 20% holding in move.com, the second-largest real estate website in the United States, as well as a portfolio of Asian businesses. However, its main revenue generator continues to be in Australia.  

    REA share price performance

    The REA share price has surged up more than 30% in 2020. Its share price briefly dived to a year-low of $64 at the height of the pandemic in March, before making its upward march to today’s level of $138.34. REA commands a market cap of around $18.5 billion.

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

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    Motley Fool contributor Eddy Sunarto has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended REA Group Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Leading broker warns that US dollar could face bear market crash in 2021

    row of different foreign currency notes rolled up next to each other US dollar 2021

    The US dollar has been losing ground since the onset of the COVID‐19 crisis but Citigroup warns it’s facing a much bigger retreat in 2021.

    This doesn’t only have big implications for currency traders but for everyday ASX investors as such a big move will impact on ASX stock performance.

    Citigroup thinks the US dollar is likely to drop as much as 20% in the new year if a COVID vaccine becomes widely available, reported Bloomberg.

    A retreat of 20% or more from a peak is considered a bear market.

    US dollar in bear market face-off

    The greenback has already lost around 11% against a basket of other major currencies since it peaked in March. The drop against the Australian dollar is more dramatic at close to 30%!

    An effective treatment against COVID will see the US dollar slide further as global economic activity will rebound strongly.

    The safe haven status of the US dollar means investors tend to buy it when fearful and sell when greed returns.

    Australian battler gaining ground in 2021

    Citigroup is encouraging investors to buy the Aussie and the Norwegian krone as these commodity-linked currencies will benefit from an economic recovery.

    But vaccines aren’t the only factor pressuring the US currency. The broker believes the US Federal Reserve will stay dovish even as economic conditions normalise.

    The rest of the world is also tipped to grow faster than the US and that will prompt investors to rotate out of US assets and into international assets.

    History doesn’t repeat but rhymes

    This sets us up for a possible repeat of 2001, which marked the start of a multi-year decline in the US dollar with China joining the World Trade Organisation.

    This triggered a wave of globalisation that pushed trade volumes higher and leaving the US behind due to its closed economy, according to Citi.

    Experts are feeling more confident that an effective treatment against coronavirus can be found. The latest trial result from Moderna Inc (NASDAQ: MRNA) that showed a 94.5% success rate is a big reason for the optimism.

    Morderna’s results follows Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE: PFE) promising trial and there are around 200 drug candidates under development.

    ASX stocks that will lose out from a weaker US dollar

    If the vaccine heralds the start of a new structural decline in the greenback like Citi believes, ASX stocks with large US dollar exposure will feel the squeeze when earnings are translated back into Australian dollars.

    Some of these stocks include the James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX) share price, Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC) share price, Amcor CDI (ASX: AMC) share price and Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price.

    ASX stocks that benefit from a weaker greenback

    On the flipside, importers that pay for goods in US dollars will benefit. These include retailers like the Reject Shop Ltd (ASX: TRS) share price and Nick Scali Limited (ASX: NCK) share price.

    Gold stocks like Ramelius Resources Limited (ASX: RMS) share price and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price should also benefit.

    A weaker US dollar is supportive of gold. As long as bond yields do not rise materially, ASX gold stocks should continue to do well in 2021.

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

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    Brendon Lau owns shares of Evolution Mining Limited and James Hardie Industries plc. Connect with me on Twitter @brenlau.

    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Reliance Worldwide Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Amcor Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Reliance Worldwide Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why the BOD (ASX:BDA) share price is on the run today

    increasing cannabis asx share price represented by growing coin piles with cannabis plants on top

    The BOD Australia Ltd (ASX: BDA) share price is on the run today following a positive update from the company regarding an uptick in sales. During the opening minutes of today’s market, shares in the cannabis healthcare company rose as high as 54 cents. However, at the time of writing, the BOD share price has slightly retreated to 51 cents, up 4.1% so far today.

    Let’s take a look and see how BOD has performed so far in the first quarter of FY21.

    What’s driving the BOD share price?

    The BOD share price is marching higher today after the company reported strong medicinal cannabis sales during the month of October.

    In total, 755 MediCabilis prescriptions were filled, representing an increase of 106% in monthly prescription volumes since July 2019. The surge in sales was a part of a record purchase order received during the first quarter of FY21 for 2,630 units.

    The company noted that since January this year, over 4,400 prescriptions have been filled. This marks a 124% uplift on 2019 calendar year volumes, which received 1,959 orders.

    BOD stated that the ongoing upward trajectory in prescription volumes has significantly boosted revenue. In addition, the company said that it’s seeing repeat customers account for 60% of October volumes, reinforcing patient satisfaction.

    Dominant market share

    Supported by the surge in demand for its MediCabilis product, BOD revealed its market share has amplified. The company reported that it now has 57% market share in full-plant, high CBD products in Australia.

    Furthermore, BOD anticipates that robust sales will continue over the coming months due to increased brand recognition. This follows the company’s nationwide clinical observation study that was announced in July this year.

    CEO commentary

    BOD CEO, Ms Jo Patterson, commented on the sales growth recorded last month, saying:

    While MediCabilis is being prescribed for a range of chronic conditions, we are currently achieving strongest uptake amongst patients suffering from chronic pain and anxiety. These conditions require the use of a pharmaceutical grade, standardised and consistent product, which is one of the key advantages of MediCabilis.

    Strong demand for our MediCabilis product range in Australia will continue to add to our growing revenue profile and we are confident that sales will continue to increase.

    About the BOD share price

    The BOD share price has been storming higher since March and is now beginning to approach its all-time high of 64 cents reached in July, 2019.

    Recent developments, such as the company entering the Netherlands market and attaining record orders, have presumably been pushing the BOD share price higher.

    BOD is hopeful that, as it seeks to expand its offering to new geographical markets, this will lead to further growth opportunities.

    Where to 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.*

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    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. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why newly-listed Cosol (ASX:COS) share price climbed higher today

    IT services provider Cosol Ltd (ASX: COS) has announced some positive outlook for its business at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) today. The Cosol share price jumped up 4.41% to 71 cents in afternoon trade today. On a year-to-date basis, the company’s share price has risen by more than 245%, making it one of the top newly listed shares on the ASX.

    Key metrics from Cosol’s AGM

    • Revenue of $11.6 million for the 5.5 month period ending 30 June 2020
    • Profit after tax of $1.5 million for the 5.5 month period ending 30 June 2020
    • Cash balance of $6.8 million and net debt of $0.12 million at 30 June 2020
    • Reduction in debtor days – pre acquisition from 99 days to 45 days at 30 June 2020 – leading to strong cash flow.

    Consol also advised it had secured new significant contracts with clients such as the Australian Defence Force and Energy Queensland, among others. The company also reported its financial results were not materially affected by COVID-19 despite not being eligible to receive the Federal Government’s JobKeeper stimulus package.

    Half-year F21 results and the year ahead

    Consol said its forecast revenue range would be between $15.25m–$15.5m, with operating earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins of approximately 16%.

    The company expects new opportunities from cross selling its services through the United States-based AddOns Inc acquisition. Cosol says its organic growth path was expected to continue at current levels. The company plans to pay its first fully franked dividends in 2021, with an expected payout ratio of 50% of net profit after tax (NPAT).

    A brief look at Cosol

    Cosol is an IT services provider,  with a particular focus on providing enterprise asset management (EAM) solutions. It listed on the ASX in January and remains one of the top newly listed share performers for 2020.  

    Cosol’s main offering is the ABB’s Ellipse enterprise software solution powered by Hitachi, and has partnerships with solution providers SAP (NYSE: SAP) and IFS (NYSE: IFS), working largely in the mining industry. It also recently acquired the EAM specialist company AddOns for US$1.5 million. Cosol said the acquisition was in line with its ambitions of becoming a global player in EAM.

    Of most significance, Cosol was awarded a $3.24 million contract in August by the Australian Department of Defence to manage the department’s EAM systems.

    About the Cosol share price

    Cosol listed its shares on the ASX in January at an initial public offering (IPO) share price of 20 cents. It has so far gained more than 245% based on today’s price of 71 cents. At this price, the company commands a market cap of $93.5 million. 

    Where to 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.*

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    Motley Fool contributor Eddy Sunarto has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Warren Buffett bought 4 pharma giants in Q3

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

    share market investing expert warren buffett

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

    Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) filed its Form 13F with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, which gave investors a look at what the Oracle of Omaha and his team of investors bought in the third quarter.

    Among the list were four pharmaceutical companies: AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), Merck (NYSE: MRK), Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY), and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE). The first three were similarly sized purchases of around $1.8 billion. The Pfizer purchase was substantially smaller, with a market value around $136 million.

    Within the industry, there doesn’t seem to be a theme among the four drugmakers.

    Merck and Bristol Myers are heavily into oncology. Bristol Myers expanded its cancer treatments last year with the acquisition of Celgene. Merck is hanging its hat on Keytruda with plans to spin out its women’s health and cardiovascular drugs, as well as some other brands into Organon & Co. next year.

    AbbVie is looking to diversify away from its reliance on its megablockbuster Humira, which treats a variety of inflammatory disorders. The pharmaceutical company made a big move into dermatology with the acquisition of Allergan, the maker of Botox, which closed earlier this year.

    Pfizer is currently most famous for its coronavirus vaccine, but the pharma giant is quite diversified. Like Merck, Pfizer is looking to get more focused by merging its Upjohn generic-drug business with Mylan in a new company called Viatris that’s scheduled to start trading on Tuesday. Investors will have to wait for the next Form 13F to see what Buffett does with the shares of Viatris that all Pfizer shareholders received.

    The pharmaceutical companies do have one thing in common: They’re all trading off their all-time highs and have been for all of 2020, suggesting Buffet might be bargain shopping.

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

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

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    Brian Orelli, PhD 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 Berkshire Hathaway (B shares) and recommends the following options: long January 2021 $200 calls on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), short January 2021 $200 puts on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), and short December 2020 $210 calls on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Universal Store (ASX:UNI) share price rockets 22% higher after IPO

    The Universal Store Holdings Limited (ASX: UNI) share price finally hit the ASX boards on Tuesday after missing out due to the outage on Monday.

    And what a start the retailer’s shares have had! At one stage today, the Universal Store share price was up as much as 22% from its IPO price of $3.80 to $4.63.

    In afternoon trade its shares are currently changing hands for $4.58.

    The Universal Store IPO.

    Universal Store has landed on the Australian share market today after completing its initial public offering (IPO) which raised $147.8 million at $3.80 per share. This gave the fashion retailer a market capitalisation of $278.1 million.

    The proceeds from the offer are to be used to repay the company’s existing corporate debt facilities, increase cash held, pay transaction costs associated with the offer, and pay selling shareholders.

    Trading update.

    Ahead of its listing on the ASX boards, Universal Store released a trading update which revealed that it has started FY 2021 strongly.

    According to the release, based on unaudited accounts, Universal Store met the proforma first quarter FY 2021 forecast provided in its prospectus. This includes for revenue, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), and net profit after tax.

    Furthermore, it revealed that its sales momentum has continued for the last seven weeks (Monday 28 September to Sunday 15 November, inclusive).

    During this period, the company achieved group comparable sales growth of 33% versus the prior corresponding period.

    Another positive was its update on its Victorian operations. Management advised that on Wednesday 28 October, Universal Store re-opened its 12 previously closed Melbourne stores.

    Pleasingly, in the first two full weeks of trading to 15 November, the Victorian stores delivered comparable sales growth of 23% relative to the prior corresponding period.

    Universal Store’s CEO, Alice Barbery, said; “We are delighted to have all our Victorian stores open and trading again in the lead up to school holidays and the Christmas season. We are also encouraged by the prospects for our stores and online sales in Melbourne as restrictions are further eased over coming weeks.”

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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    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. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Charter Hall (ASX:CHC) share price lower despite Bunnings acquisitions

    Bunnings

    The Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC) share price is sinking lower on Tuesday after announcing a new acquisition.

    The property company’s shares are down a sizeable 5.5% to $13.63 in afternoon trade.

    What did Charter Hall announce?

    This afternoon Charter Hall revealed that its wholesale partnership, LWHP, has made an acquisition. The LWHP partnership comprises VFMC, Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) Super, and Charter Hall.

    According to the release, the partnership has acquired a $353 million portfolio of six Bunnings Warehouse assets located in prime metropolitan markets.

    Bunnings Warehouse is Australia’s leading hardware retailer and owned by Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

    The portfolio of modern Bunnings Warehouse retail stores was acquired on a yield of 4.63%. Approximately 85% of the portfolio is located in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It has a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of 10 years and 2.5% annual rent reviews.

    Charter Hall’s Managing Director and CEO, David Harrison, commented: “We are proud to further expand our strong relationship with Wesfarmers and Bunnings Group. Across the Charter Hall platform we now have in excess of $2.4 billion invested in 59 Bunnings stores, 50 of which are located in metropolitan locations.”

    “This transaction represents our seventh Bunnings portfolio acquired since 2006 when we first recognised the strength of the Bunnings business, the relatively low rents per square metre of lettable area and the large prime sites Bunnings typically occupy,” he added.

    This sentiment was echoed by LWHP Fund Manager, Ben Ellis. He said: “This off-market acquisition extends the Bunnings relationship, expands our off-market transaction track record and enhances the diversity and breadth of the LWHP partnership which has been one of our most successful partnerships delivering an IRR since inception exceeding 15%.”

    Despite today’s decline, the Charter Hall share price is up 27% over the last 12 months.

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Wesfarmers Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why the Unibail Rodamco Westfield (ASX:URW) share price is up 63% in 5 days

    rising retail asx share price represented by excited shopper holding lots of bags

    The Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (ASX: URW) share price is on a tear again today, up 17% in late afternoon trading. That brings Unibail’s share price gains to a whopping 63% since the closing bell rang last Monday 9 November. Despite the past week’s stellar performance, the Unibail share price is still down 58% year to date.

    The brick and mortar retailer was already struggling with high debt levels and some questionable asset acquisitions heading into 2020. And then its share price was savaged by COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing in Europe, the United States and Australia, which saw many of its shopping centres temporarily shuttered.

    What does Unibail Rodamco Westfield do?

    Unibail is one of Europe’s largest commercial real estate companies, owning a portfolio of quality retail and office complexes. It has assets in Europe, the United Kingdom and the US.

    Unibail acquired Australian shopping centre operator Westfield Corporation, created by the split of Westfield Group, in 2018. This saw the Unibail share price first list on the ASX. The company makes up part of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    Why is the Unibail share price up 17% again today?

    The Unibail share price began its upward surge last Tuesday 10 November. This came after the company announced shareholders had rejected the supervisory board’s 3.5 billion euro (AU$5.7 billion) capital raising via the issue of ordinary shares.

    The capital raising was part of the company’s wider ‘Reset’ plan and was intended to repay some of its outstanding debt.

    However, the resolution was stringently opposed by a group of activist investors, led by Leon Bressler and Xavier Niel, who succeeded in derailing the capital raise part of the Reset plan.

    In an ASX release yesterday, Unibail announced a major shakeup to its supervisory board that unfolded on Friday.

    Colin Dyer resigned as chair of the board, while remaining on as a member of the board.

    Leon Bressler was appointed as chair with immediate effect, while Xavier Niel took up the position on the board as member of the remuneration committee.

    Investors clearly appear pleased with the new management, alongside its decision to axe the controversial capital raising in favour of more aggressively disposing of non-performing assets.

    Today’s 17% leap in the Unibail share price would likely have occurred yesterday, had the ASX not shut down over a software update glitch.

    These 3 stocks could be the next big movers in 2020

    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.*

    In this FREE STOCK REPORT, Scott just revealed what he believes are the 3 ASX stocks for the post COVID world that investors should buy right now while they still can. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks these could really go gangbusters as we move into ‘the new normal’.

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  • Why the Austal (ASX:ASB) share price is edging higher today

    Man in white business shirt touches screen with happy smile symbol

    The Austal Limited (ASX: ASB) share price is edging higher today. This comes after the global shipbuilder delivered a high-speed catamaran ferry to Chinese mainland ferry operator, Blue Sea Jet.

    At the time of writing, the Austal share price is up 2.51% to $2.86. In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is 0.2% higher to 6,498 points.

    Austal designs and manufactures high performance vessels for commercial and defence customers worldwide. Most notably, Austal builds and services warships for the Australian Royal Navy and the United States Navy.

    Catamaran delivery

    Austal advised the market today that it has fulfilled a contract delivery of a 42m high-speed catamaran passenger ferry. Repeat customer, Blue Sea Jet is expected to put its ship in service immediately.

    The catamaran will ferry up to 272 people over the waters of the Dawan District between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau.

    The vessel, named Xin Hai Chi, was constructed at the Aulong’s shipyard in Zhongshan City. It is the third ship to be designed and built for Blue Sea Jet since 2016.

    Joint venture program

    Austal highlighted that Aulong Shipbuilding is a joint venture program with Jianglong Shipbuilding of Zhuhai, China. Established in June 2016, the partnership aims to pursue commercial passenger and non-military vessel opportunities in mainland China.

    With an ownership stake of 40%, Austal has licenced a number of commercial aluminium vessel designs for marketing through China. Jianglong Shipbuilding provides local shipbuilding infrastructure, and manpower of up to 1,000 employees across two shipyards.

    Austal CEO David Singleton said the new delivery confirmed Aulong’s position as a preferred shipbuilder of China’s leading ferry operators. He added:

    Aulong has quickly developed a strong reputation for delivering China’s best high-speed craft – drawing on Austal’s expertise in commercial ferry design and Jianglong’s local shipbuilding capability.

    About the Austal share price 

    The Austal share price has been on the mends to recovery since the start of November. Its shares fell to an 8-month low of $2.59 in late October. This was just 15% higher than its multi-year low reached in March this year due to COVID-19.

    The company has a market capitalisation of $1.02 billion and a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 11.5.

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

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    Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Austal Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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