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The Alicanto Minerals Ltd (ASX: AQI) share price is today soaring up 20% despite no major news out of the company.

What does Alicanto do?

Alicanto Minerals is an emerging mineral exploration company focused on creating shareholder wealth through exploration and discovery in the mining districts of Scandinavia. The company has multiple projects in Sweden, including the Greater Falun Project in the highly endowed Bergslagen mining district of Southern Sweden. The company mines minerals such as copper, gold, zinc, lead and silver.

What has been driving the Alicanto share price higher?

The company announced its quarterly activities report on 30 July. This release saw the Alicanto share price jump 10% as the miner announced progress on its Swedish projects. However, the real growth started a week later after a trading halt was announced.

What followed was the announcement that Alicanto is planning to raise $1.43 million by way of a private placement. Funds raised from the placement will be used for exploration activities in Sweden and Guyana and general working capital. Perhaps the news that got investors most excited, however, was the calibre of investor taking part in the placement.

The name Ray Shorrocks is well known around micro cap miners and it is he who will now chair the company. In 2016, explorer Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) acquired a tiny Western Australian gold project. This ‘tiny’ project has since seen the Bellevue share price return around 4900%. You may be wondering why this is relevant, and it is because Ray Shorrock was the investor behind this turnaround. So it is understandable that investors are once again excited by the prospect of a mining unicorn in his latest investment, Alicanto.

What now for Alicanto?

It was recently announced that drilling is set to start next month in Sweden. The program will target extensions to known mineralisation as part of a strategy to underpin a central processing hub in this mining area. The greater Falun area has never been properly explored as, through the area, was a VMS (volcanogenic massive sulfide) system, making mining futile. However, it is now believed that the dominant mineralisation is in fact copper and gold skarn with high grade by-products of silver, zinc and lead.

The Alicanto share price has been exploding this year and is up 521% from its March lows. At the time of writing, the Alicanto share price has smashed through its 52-week high and is sitting at 18 cents.

More reading

• Why today is a great day to add to your ASX share portfolio
• Emerald Clinics share price soars 30% on new record
• These exciting ASX tech shares could be perfect buy and hold options
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy right now
• ASX shares that could take a hit from New Zealand lockdowns

Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing 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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We kick this article off with a question.

When was the last time you added to your shareholdings? And I don’t mean through your superannuation account. I mean buying ASX shares or international shares with your cash holdings.

If you’re like many Australian investors, your answer may well be sometime in June.

You see, that’s when the huge relief rally in ASX share prices that followed on the COVID-19-driven market rout petered out. On 10 June, to be precise, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) closed at 6,269 points. That represented a phenomenal gain of 37.5% from its post-crash level on 23 February.

Since then it’s been trading in a much tighter range, gaining a few percent some weeks and giving it back on others. At time of writing, the All Ords is up again for the day, but still down 0.3% from 10 June.

That’s okay though. As you’ll read often here at The Motley Fool, we encourage you not to get overly caught up in the shorter-term price moves. And yes, even monthly price moves are fairly short-term if you’re a buy-and-hold investor with a 3 to 5-year (or longer) investment horizon.

But many investors have a hard time seeing it that way. They look at today’s share prices and realise they’re not the bargain they were in March and April. And the financial news headlines once trumpeting the remarkable run higher for ASX share prices have shifted focus to rising unemployment figures and potential increases in bankruptcies.

All that fuels uncertainty and fear. And while that’s understandable, I believe what most investors should fear the most is missing out on the big share price gains that can still be made in the markets.

2 ASX 200 blue chips that have smashed the market

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) — comprised of the 200 largest companies on the ASX — closed down 0.7%. yesterday.

But, of course, that doesn’t mean every stock closed down. Far from it.

Take Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE), for example. The global winemaking and distribution company released its results for the 2020 financial year yesterday.

It reported a 6% decline in net sales revenue, largely due to a slowdown in its US market and broader negative impacts from COVID-19. But investors had largely already priced that news in. What came as a welcome surprise was the strong growth in its China business in June.

The Treasury Wine share price closed the day up 12.3%, giving it a market cap of $9.2 billion.

Financial services company AMP Limited (ASX: AMP) also had a cracker of a day on Thursday. The AMP share price closed up 10.9%. That came despite the company announcing a massive 42% drop in profits in its half year results.

Again, the market had already largely priced in the impact of COVID-19 on the wealth manager’s earnings. Instead, investors look to have focused on AMP’s announcement that it held $1.4 billion in surplus capital above target requirements. And that it would issue a fully franked special dividend.

Why the share market looks poised for more big gains

Now these are just 2 ASX shares. And admittedly these are one day share price moves. Though I believe the Treasury Wine share price could enjoy a long-term run, particularly if it’s successful in tapping the massive growth opportunity represented by the increasing number of Chinese wine drinkers.

But there are many other companies out there with the potential for strong share price gains over the mid to long-term.

Yes, we’re still faced with the blustery headwinds of the coronavirus pandemic and festering global trade disputes. But unprecedented levels of government stimulus, record low interest rates, and significant institutional and retail investor cash holdings should continue to support share prices. And eventually see them fly higher.

Now there are fears that the government debt pile is becoming unsustainable. But today Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe moved to assuage those fears, stating:

The expected increase in public debt is entirely manageable and is affordable. It is the right thing to do to borrow today to help people, keep them in jobs and boost public investment at a time when private investment is very weak. There will always be debates about the precise nature of programs and about how much support should be provided, but the general strategy that we have is the right one.

There is also a lot of cash still waiting on the sidelines. Including an extra $10 billion in cash held by the Future Fund since 30 March. As the Australian Financial Review notes:

At June 30, the Future Fund held about $24 billion in cash, up from $15.5 billion at March 30. This means cash holdings have moved to about 15 per cent of the portfolio. A full disclosure of the fund’s 2020 financial year performance and asset allocation will be released in September.

Many Australians have also used their early access to superannuation under the government’s COVID-19 response to bolster their savings.

According to the latest Treasury estimates, by 31 December some $42 billion will have been withdrawn from super accounts. A lot of that is being used to pay daily bills. But according to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, 36% of Aussies are using the money to add to their savings.

With interest rates remaining near zero, retail and institutional investors are going to be looking for a way to grow their cash. And if much of it flows into the ASX, as I believe it will, it should see some big share price gains for well-managed Aussie companies.

More reading

• Brokers just downgraded the Telstra share price and these other ASX 200 stocks
• ASX 200 up 0.3%: NAB Q3 update, Mesoblast rockets, Newcrest guidance disappoints
• How investing in ASX shares could help you grow $10,000 into $100,000
• Iluka share price on watch as half-year profit falls 17%
• Mesoblast share price on watch after US regulatory approval

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Treasury Wine Estates 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.

The post Why today is a great day to add to your ASX share portfolio appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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Shares in Emerald Clinics Ltd (ASX: EMD) have surged nearly 30% in early trade following an announcement from the company. At the time of writing, the Emerald Clinics share price had risen 29.5% to currently trade at 7.9 cents.

What did Emerald Clinics announce?

Earlier today, Emerald Clinics released an announcement which highlighted record appointments in Australia, plans for international expansion and a proposed name change.

Despite the restrictions induced by COVID-19, Emerald Clinics reported a record 795 appointments in July. The company noted continued month-on-month growth in comparison to subdued demand in the majority of health services.

As a result, Emerald Clinics informed investors that the company is actively hiring clinicians in order to meet growing demand for its services. In addition, the company is expanding its remote monitoring capabilities and increasing its data insight platforms.

Emerald Clinics also announced that the company intends to change its name to Emyria Limited. According to the company, the proposed name change is consistent with its global ambitions and rebranding, the latter of which better communicates its scope of practice. The planned name change follows the company’s data collaboration with a United Kingdom partner. 

What does Emerald Clinics do?

Emerald Clinics is network of specialist and referral only medical clinics. The company’s clinicians are trained specialists in the application of unregistered medicines, which include cannabinoid products.

The company also focuses on collecting and developing high quality, real-world evidence (RWE) data. Emerald’s RWE data platform aims to improve patient care, identify novel uses for existing therapies and explore the performance of certain medicines.

As a result, the data insights from Emerald’s RWE platforms can also be provided to pharmaceutical companies on a subscription payment model.

Emerald Clinics recently signed with Spectrum Biomedical, a UK-based subsidiary of the world’s largest cannabis company Canopy Growth Corp. Under the agreement, Emerald will design and deliver RWE focused on the safety and clinical outcomes of cannabis-based medicines produced by Spectrum. 

Foolish takeaway

At the time of writing, the Emerald Clinics share price is trading nearly 30% higher at 7.9 cents. Shares in the company were up nearly 40% earlier today after hitting an intra-day high of 8.5 cents.

More reading

• Alicanto share price exploding 20%, here’s why
• Why today is a great day to add to your ASX share portfolio
• These exciting ASX tech shares could be perfect buy and hold options
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy right now
• ASX shares that could take a hit from New Zealand lockdowns

Motley Fool contributor Nikhil Gangaram 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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I believe the tech sector is a great place to look for long term investment options. This is particularly the case at the mid cap side of the sector, where there are a number of companies which could grow materially in the future.

Two that I would consider buying are listed below. Here’s why I’m a fan:

ELMO Software Ltd (ASX: ELO)

The first ASX tech share to look at is ELMO Software. It is a growing cloud-based human resources and payroll software company which provides a unified platform to streamline a wide range of processes. It recently released its full year results and revealed annualised recurring revenue (ARR) of $55.1 million and statutory revenue of $50.1 million. This was a 19.7% and 25% year on year increase, respectively, which I thought was very strong given the pandemic.

The good news is that management is confident this strong form can continue in FY 2021. It has provided guidance for ARR of between $65 million and $70 million this financial year. This represents year on year growth of 18% to 27%. However, it is worth noting that this guidance is purely organic and is likely to be boosted greatly by acquisitions. ELMO has a cash balance of $140 million that it intends to deploy for acquisitions in the near future. Looking further ahead, I believe the company has a massive opportunity in new geographies for its jurisdiction agnostic platform.

Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA)

Another ASX tech share to consider buying is this aerial imagery technology and location data company. Over the last few years Nearmap has been growing its recurring revenues at a strong rate thanks to increasing demand for its services in both the ANZ and North American markets.

And while its growth has slowed in FY 2020 because of some large churn events, I’m confident that it will accelerate again once the coronavirus crisis passes. Especially given its material opportunity in a highly fragmented market and its high quality product offering. This has been bolstered by an artificial intelligence product which looks like it has the potential to be a game changer. Overall, I think Nearmap shares would be great long term options.

More reading

• Are these ASX small cap shares heading for big things?
• Where to invest $500 into ASX shares immediately
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Here’s the best mid-cap growth share to buy on the ASX
• These are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX

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 and recommends Elmo Software. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Elmo Software and Nearmap Ltd. 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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Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their estimates and recommendations again, leading to the release of a large number of broker notes this week.

Three broker buy ratings that have caught my eye are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX 200 shares are in the buy zone:

Appen Ltd (ASX: APX)

According to a note out of UBS, its analysts have retained their buy rating and lifted the price target on this artificial intelligence (AI) company’s shares to $41.00. The broker has been looking into the industry and believes that Appen’s second half outlook is very positive. Especially given recent hiring activity, which it feels indicates that its government business is performing well. Overall, the broker remains very positive on its growth prospects over the medium term. I agree with UBS and think Appen would be a fantastic buy and hold option.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

Analysts at Morgan Stanley have retained their overweight rating and lifted the price target on this property company’s shares to $20.00. According to the note, Goodman Group delivered an FY 2020 result in line with its expectations. And while its guidance for the year ahead is a little lower than the broker is forecasting, it notes that the company has consistently outperformed its guidance for a number of years. Furthermore, with the ecommerce tailwind in its sails, Morgan Stanley expects its strong form to continue into FY 2022 as well. I think Morgan Stanley is spot on and would be a buyer of Goodman Group’s shares.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

A note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their conviction buy rating but trimmed their price target slightly on this telco giant’s shares to $3.90. According to the note, the broker was pleased with its FY 2020 result, but notes that its guidance has caused dividend doubts. However, the broker believes Telstra could shift its dividend policy to be based on free cash flow rather than earnings. If it does this, it would be able to sustain its 16 cents per share dividend. As such, it holds firm with its forecast for no dividend cuts in FY 2021. I agree with Goldman Sachs and feel Telstra would be a good option for income investors after its pullback.

More reading

• Brokers just downgraded the Telstra share price and these other ASX 200 stocks
• How investing in ASX shares could help you grow $10,000 into $100,000
• Is the Telstra dividend in danger? This leading broker thinks it’s safe
• 3 ASX shares that could grow rapidly during the 2020s
• ASX 200 drops 0.7%, Telstra falls 7.7%

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 Appen Ltd. 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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Having successfully fended off new cases of COVID-19 for 100 days prior to this week, media reports this morning now say that 36 new cases of the virus have infiltrated New Zealand’s borders. To restrict further infections, NZ Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, has selectively imposed renewed short-term restrictions across the country. If case numbers continue rising, however, it is likely these restrictions will become more widespread and longer lasting. This could potentially impact the share prices of NZ-based ASX shares. So, should prospective investors be looking to buy these ASX-listed Kiwi companies if they take a dive?

2 ASX shares that could become buys

Air New Zealand Limited (ASX: AIZ)

Having reached a 52-week high of $2.94 in January of this year, the Air New Zealand share price now trades at $1.20 at the time of writing.

As one of the many businesses devastated by the pandemic, Air New Zealand reported to the market in June that it was expecting to deliver a full-year loss of $120 million for FY20. Despite this result, however, the company was optimistic in June that NZ’s scaling back of restrictions would allow it to slowly restart domestic flying operations.

This week’s news of a spike in cases will likely foil any such plans for the airline. The news was reflected by the Air New Zealand share price taking a dive on Tuesday by over 4.5%. But investors who nabbed the airline at lows of 80 cents per share in April have still done pretty well at this point, up approximately 50% at the time of writing.

Thus, if new restrictions are imposed, and Air New Zealand shares dive below the $1 mark again, could the company be too cheap to ignore?

On the one hand, the airline seems a pretty safe bet. As the national airline, if Air New Zealand did get in to any liquidity trouble, the NZ government may very well bail it out. And eventually, the company’s operations will rebound – albeit to an unknown extent.

Yet, on the flip side, three of the top brokers, Macquarie, Credit Suisse, and UBS, have all placed a ‘sell’ or ‘underperform’ rating on the airline. Some of the key risks referred to by the brokers include the high likelihood of a significant liquidity injection via debt or an imminent capital raising, the latter of which could dilute shares.

Notwithstanding this, if you’ve got the risk appetite and the shares dip below that $1 mark in the coming days, I still think Air New Zealand could be a good buy.

Skycity Entertainment Group Limited (ASX: SKC)

The Skycity share price has likewise been bludgeoned by the coronavirus pandemic, retreating from nearly $4 in January to its current price of $2.18.

The gaming and entertainment powerhouse was quick to inform the market on Wednesday about what an Alert Level 2 for the entire country and an Alert Level 3 for Auckland would mean for its business operations.

The announcement revealed that the company would be shutting its Auckland casino and entertainment facilities. The company’s Auckland hotels and other NZ casinos, however, would remain open for the time being.

It has been a wild ride for shareholders in 2020, with the Skycity share price bottoming out at $1.10 in March, which was followed by a partial recovery to its current trading levels.

Due to liquidity issues, the company also completed a $230 million equity raise, and is expected to report its full-year results for FY20 on 3 September. Only then will it be known just how large a hole the pandemic has punched in the operations of its casinos, hotels, restaurants and bars.

If the Skycity share price takes a tumble again in the coming days, I definitely think this is a company worth looking into further. With casinos in Hamilton, Auckland and tourism-rich Queenstown, as well as Australia’s Adelaide, the company has diverse market exposure and a history of paying sizeable dividends.

At the current share price, its dividend of 18 cents equates to a trailing yield of 8.3%. Whilst it may take some time to get back to these payout levels, those with a long-term investment horizon could possibly reap the benefits of another dip in the Skycity share price.

Foolish takeaway

First and foremost, let’s hope our neighbours can get the pandemic under control as soon as possible, negating the need for more stringent lockdowns. If ongoing restrictions are required, however, it will be interesting to see whether these New Zealand ASX shares experience further sell offs. Both remain watchlist shares for me at this point due to the uncertainty of the NZ situation, but a further sell-off could possibly make both companies too cheap for me to ignore.

More reading

• Coronavirus: SkyCity share price falls as NZ restrictions tighten
• Top broker warns Afterpay and these ASX stocks could disappoint on profit results

Motley Fool contributor Toby Thomas has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sky City Entertainment Group Ltd. 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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In early afternoon trade the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a solid gain. At the time of writing the benchmark index is up 0.5% to 6,122.3 points. 

Four shares that are climbing more than most today are below, Here’s why they are zooming higher:

The Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX: BBN) share price has jumped 8% to $4.06 following the release of its full year results. In FY 2020, the baby products retailer posted an 11.8% increase in total sales to $405.2 million despite the pandemic. And thanks to margin expansion, Baby Bunting delivered a 34.1% increase in pro forma net profit after tax to $19.3 million. Importantly, this was achieved without the company receiving any COVID-19 assistance from the government.

The Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price is up 5% to $6.02. This appears to have been driven by a rebound in the gold price overnight. It isn’t just Evolution pushing higher today. A number of gold miners are on the rise for the same reason. This has led to the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index rising 1.5% at the time of writing.

The Mesoblast limited (ASX: MSB) share price has rocketed 38% higher to $4.66. Investors have been fighting to get hold of the biotech company’s shares after a very positive outcome from its meeting with the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) overnight. This meeting was to discuss its remestemcel-L product candidate as a treatment for paediatric steroid-resistance acute graft versus host disease (paediatric SR-aGvHD). While the company still needs the U.S. FDA to approve the product, the odds look to be very much in its favour now.

The Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) share price is up 3.5% to $92.50. This appears to be in response to the business and accounting software provider’s annual general meeting update on Thursday. That update revealed that Xero has added 96,000 net subscribers to its platform since the start of April. This lifted its subscribers to a total of 2.38 million at the end of the period.

More reading

• ASX 200 up 0.3%: NAB Q3 update, Mesoblast rockets, Newcrest guidance disappoints
• Mesoblast share price rockets 57% higher on FDA breakthrough
• Baby Bunting share price in focus after strong FY 2020 profit growth despite the pandemic
• Mesoblast share price on watch after US regulatory approval
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

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 Xero. 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.

The post Why Baby Bunting, Evolution, Mesoblast, & Xero shares are zooming higher appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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Our market looks like it will close the week on a strong footing. This is more than what we can say for the Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price and two other ASX stocks that got slugged with a broker downgrade.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) gained 0.3% in late morning trade and if it closes at this level, it would have advanced by a decent 1.7% pace for the week.

That’s not a bad effort given we are nearing the half-year point for what has been described as the worst reporting season in recent history.

Dividend disconnect

But the August cheer isn’t universally shared. Just ask shareholders in Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) with the stock slumping again today on a broker downgrade.

Morgans cut its rating on the stock to “hold” from “add” after Telstra posted its full year results yesterday.

The broker questions whether the stock is as dependable an income stock as investors like to believe as management’s outlook was more downbeat than expected.

Telstra’s 25% dividend cut risk

“TLS also reduced their FY23 return on capital target from 10% to now being greater than 7%,” said Morgans. “This has implications for EPS and DPS sustainability.”

That assessment will strike fear in shareholders as dividend sustainability is the key (if not only) reason to be holding the stock.

Morgans believes Telstra will need to cut its dividend by a quarter to 12 cents a share from this financial year onwards. Its price target drops to $3.21 from $3.73 a share.

Shares in our largest telco fell 1.8% to $3.06 at the time of writing and is likely to shed around 10% of its value over the week.

Good news baked in

Another stock licking its wounds this week is the Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG) share price. Bell Potter lowered its recommendation on the small kitchen appliance maker to “hold” from “buy” even though its results proved to be resilient to COVID-19.

Breville’s underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) jumped 14.3% to $111.1 million in FY20 over last year due to strong sales in key markets. But the good news is arguably reflected in the current share price.

“We have a positive view on BRG on several fronts: growth prospects in several large markets, flexible cost structure and strong balance sheet,” said Bell Potter.

“However, given the strong share price run, and mindful of near-term uncertainties, we believe BRG is now fair-value.”

The broker’s price target on Breville is $26 a share.

Flying blind

It’s uncertainties from COVID-19 that also prompted Citigroup to downgrade its call on the Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price.

The travel agent released a trading update that forecasted a pre-tax loss of $474 million to $525 million for FY20. This is significantly below Citi’s estimate of a $145 million loss.

Management tried to off-set the bad news by pointing to its strong liquidity position. Flight Centre can go for 18 months with the $800 million in its tank.

That should give plenty of time for the world to recover from the COVID-19 shutdown.

Second capital raising?

“We acknowledge the potential upside on a three-year view, albeit with very limited visibility,” said Citi.

“The risk of a second capital raising also exists within twelve months given the lack of leisure and corporate travel expected over the near term.”

The broker cut its recommendation on the stock to “hold” from “buy” with a price target of $13.50 a share.

More reading

• ASX 200 up 0.3%: NAB Q3 update, Mesoblast rockets, Newcrest guidance disappoints
• How investing in ASX shares could help you grow $10,000 into $100,000
• Why Flight Centre, Navigator Global, Newcrest, & Whitehaven Coal are dropping lower
• Is the Telstra dividend in danger? This leading broker thinks it’s safe
• Iluka share price on watch as half-year profit falls 17%

Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau owns shares of Breville Group Ltd and Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel 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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The National Australia Bank Ltd. (ASX: NAB) share price was up 0.61% at the time of writing to $18.12 after the company released its quarterly report for the 3 months ended 30 June 2020.

What was in the announcement?

NAB announced unaudited statutory net profit of $1.50 billion for the June quarter.  Unaudited cash earnings were $1.55 billion with cash earnings, down 7% compared to the 3rd quarter of 2019.

The bank recorded credit impairment charges of $570 million versus impairments of $976 million in the second quarter of 2020.

NAB’s common equity tier one ratio was 11.6% at 30 June.

The bank also reported that 12.3% of the balance of all home loans outstanding were deferred in June 2020.

NAB CEO Ross McEwan commented on the result, stating:

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge our customers and our bank, with varied impacts across industries and communities. The outlook remains highly uncertain, but decisive actions in April to strengthen our balance sheet allow us to support customers, while keeping our bank safe.

Our repayment deferrals are providing vital assistance to customers, in combination with significant relief from governments and regulators. Encouragingly, about 16% of home loan deferral customers contacted via our check-ins have recommenced repayments. However, many customers still face an uncertain future. Where it makes sense, we will offer them extra support to help manage through the pandemic, but providing further credit won’t always be the right thing to do.

He confirmed the bank still has a long-term view despite the current challenges, adding:

Our 3Q20 result is reflective of the current operating environment, characterised by volatile markets, subdued credit demand, low interest rates, cost pressures and deteriorating asset quality. In navigating these near-term challenges, we have not lost sight of the need to invest for NAB’s long term future.

About the NAB share price

National Australia Bank is one of Australia’s big four banks and was formed by a merger in 1982. NAB offers business banking, personal banking, online banking and private banking to its customers.

In May, NAB raised $4.25 billion from investors through an institutional placement and a retail share purchase plan. The issue price was $14.15 per share.

The NAB share price is up 37.27% since its 52 week low of $13.20, however, it is down 26.43% since the beginning of the year. The NAB share price is down 34.46% since this time last year.

More reading

• ASX 200 up 0.3%: NAB Q3 update, Mesoblast rockets, Newcrest guidance disappoints
• Qantas share price is facing this new challenge in FY21
• As CBA slashes its dividend, the brutal reality is bank shares have been dogs for 5 years, with more pain ahead
• Is the Bank of Queensland share price a better buy than Bendigo and Adelaide Bank?
• Flight Centre and Zip Co were among the most traded shares on the ASX last week

Motley Fool contributor Chris Chitty 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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At lunch on Friday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to end the week on a high. The benchmark index is currently up 0.3% to 6,107.4 points.

Here’s what has been happening:

NAB update impresses.

The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price is pushing higher following the release of its third quarter update. The banking giant posted unaudited cash earnings of $1.55 billion, which was down 7% on the prior corresponding period. Though, cash earnings before tax and credit impairment charges was up 5%. NAB ended the period with a CET1 ratio of 11.6%.

Mesoblast rockets on FDA update.

The Mesoblast limited (ASX: MSB) share price rocketed as much as 57% higher to a new record high this morning. This follows a very positive outcome from its meeting with the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) overnight. This meeting was to discuss its remestemcel-L product candidate as a treatment for paediatric steroid-resistance acute graft versus host disease (paediatric SR-aGvHD). Given the positive feedback, the likelihood of the U.S. FDA approving the drug on 30 September looks strong.

Newcrest guidance disappoints.

The Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) share price has come under pressure after a solid full year profit result was overshadowed by weak guidance for FY 2021. The gold miner is guiding to gold production of 1.95 million ounces to 2.15 million ounces, which will be down from 2.2 million in FY 2020. This guidance also remains subject to there being no COVID-19 disruptions.

Best and worst ASX 200 shares.

The best performer on the ASX 200 by some distance has been the Mesoblast share price. It is up 38% at lunch after the ODAC voted in favour of its remestemcel-L product for paediatric SR-aGvHD. The worst performer with a 3.5% decline is the Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) share price. It has come under pressure amid news that a group of shareholders are trying to shut down the business.

More reading

• Why Baby Bunting, Evolution, Mesoblast, & Xero shares are zooming higher
• Brokers just downgraded the Telstra share price and these other ASX 200 stocks
• NAB share price lifts on quarterly report
• How investing in ASX shares could help you grow $10,000 into $100,000
• Why Flight Centre, Navigator Global, Newcrest, & Whitehaven Coal are dropping lower

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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