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Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN) received positive coverage in Livewire this afternoon from Auscap Asset Management principal and portfolio manager Tim Carleton.

Carleton told investors that the ASX 200 lithium miner was the best-performing share in its portfolio for the September quarter.

He attributed part of this success to lithium having an “incredibly strong structural demand outlook”, adding that demand for the battery-making material was expected to outstrip supply for the foreseeable future.

Competitive value and a change in strategy

Carleton also believes that Mineral Resources has a competitive valuation, despite the company trading at the top end of its 52-week range. Closing at $76.58 in today’s trading session, the Mineral Resources share price has almost doubled over the past year, notching up a 99.5% increase.

Carleton said:

Current lithium prices are very favourable for existing lithium producers, resulting in the whole sector re-rating globally.

MinRes’ two JV partners, Albermarle and Ganfeng, are trading at greater multiples of forecast EBITDA than MinRes. A similar multiple for MinRes’ lithium business would have the stock trading considerably higher than it is today.

He also noted Mineral Resource’s change in strategy for its iron ore business:

MinRes has also started its transition from a low volume, high cost and short mine life iron ore operator to a low cost, high volume, long mine life owner.

The final investment decision (FID) on the 30mtpa Onslow Iron Ore project was made to proceed in August 2022, with first ore targeted by December 2023.

‘Transformational progress’ across 4 divisions

And unlike some investors who focus exclusively on Mineral Resource’s lithium business, Carleton sees value and potential across each business division.

While growth in the company’s lithium and iron ore operations “should underpin MinRes’ mining services business for many years to come”, its other divisions were also significant, he said.

… MinRes has also made a significant gas discovery in the Perth basin, with the potential to supply all of MinRes and its customers’ gas needs for many years, at a substantially lower cost than current contract gas prices.

We anticipate many years of transformational progress across each of MinRes’ four divisions: Mining Services, Lithium, Iron Ore and Energy.

Mineral Resources share price snapshot

Shares in the company closed 0.42% lower at $76.58 this afternoon after touching a 52-week high of $80.00 in mid-morning trading.

The Mineral Resources share price is up 36.7% year to date. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 8% over the same period.

The company’s market capitalisation is around $14.53 billion

The post This ASX 200 lithium share was Auscap’s best performer in the last quarter. Here’s why the team expects even more progress appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• If ASX lithium shares are soaring, why is the ACDC ETF down 9% in 2022?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 3 ASX 200 directors who have been buying up their company shares this week
• Bell Potter tips Mineral Resources share price to jump to $100
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday

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

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The Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF (ASX: ACDC) closed the session on Thursday up 1.24% to $88.28.

But over 2022 so far, the exchange-traded fund (ETF) is down 8.65%, which might seem surprising given this year is turning out to be another ripper for ASX lithium shares.

Let’s look at some examples among the rip-snorters of this particular ASX mining segment.

• The Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) share price is up 119% year to date (YTD)
• The Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) share price is up 86% YTD
• The Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share price is up 45% YTD
• The IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) share price is up 37% YTD
• The Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) share price is up 29% YTD.

Why is the ACDC ETF in the red in 2022?

The first thing to understand is that the Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF is not a pure-play lithium ETF.

It’s got some ASX lithium shares in there, but it also invests in global companies. And not just those in lithium mining either. It holds battery technology companies, electric vehicle (EV) companies like Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA), and car manufacturers that are also building EVs, like Renault SA (FRA: RNL).

The provider, Global X ETFs Australia, puts it this way:

ACDC invests in companies throughout the lithium cycle, including mining, refinement and battery production, cutting across traditional sector and geographic definitions.

So, your shares in ACDC are going to be affected by many factors other than the record lithium price. That’s the main thing that’s been pushing up the value of ASX lithium shares over the past two years.

So, this is one reason why the ACDC ETF isn’t going gangbusters like so many ASX lithium shares.

Why invest in the ACDC ETF?

The ACDC ETF is popular with ASX investors who want to capitalise on the global investing thematic of energy transition but don’t want to pick individual stocks to invest in. Problem is, when you purchase a basket of international and ASX shares, you’ve got to accept the good with the bad.

As with any shares portfolio, you’ll have winners and losers every year. The losers aren’t necessarily bad companies, but every company has good and bad years, and that will be reflected in their share prices.

This is especially the case with young companies in their initial growth phase. Remember, global demand for lithium on the back of demand for electric vehicles is a pretty recent phenomenon. Just 10 years ago, Tesla was a small cap. Only five years ago, it was a US$20 stock (today it’s 11 times that price).

However, if you believe the lithium and battery thematic will be ongoing, then the Global X Battery Tech & Lithium ETF may be a good place to be. Especially if you don’t like seeing large share price fluctuations. By nature, a basket of shares is not going to react as strongly to the individual news of its 31 shares.

The ACDC ETF has a 52-week high price of $99.25 and a 52-week low price of $74.72. So, right now, it’s trading in the middle of that range.

Which ASX lithium shares does the ACDC ETF hold?

According to provider, Global X ETFs Australia, the top six holdings are as follows. As you’ll note, only three are listed on the ASX. These are also the only ASX lithium shares the ACDC ETF holds.

1. Pilbara Minerals with a weighting of 6.83%
2. Renault with a weighting of 5.19%
3. Minerals Resources Limited (ASX: MIN) with a weighting of 4.94%
4. LG Energy Solution Ltd (KRX: 373220) with a weighting of 4.61%
5. Livent Corp (NYSE: LTHM) with a weighting of 4.48%
6. Allkem with a weighting of 4.44%.

The post If ASX lithium shares are soaring, why is the ACDC ETF down 9% in 2022? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Bell Potter tips Mineral Resources share price to jump to $100
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday
• Why Champion Iron, Lynas, Newcrest, and Sayona shares are storming higher
• Why did Tesla stock rise today?
• Why ‘long-term lithium prices are far too low’: Wilsons

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Allkem Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Tesla. 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 Scott Phillips.

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Exchange traded funds (ETFs) can be great additions to a balanced portfolio. This is because they provide investors with easy access to a large and diverse number of different shares, all through a single investment.

But which ones would be top options for investors today? Listed below are three that could be worth considering:

BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

The first ETF to consider is the hugely popular BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF. This ETF gives investors access to many of the best-known companies in the world such as Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Netflix, and Tesla. The ETF manager, BetaShares, highlights that with a strong focus on technology, the fund provides diversified exposure to a high-growth potential sector that is under-represented on the Australian share market. And with the NASDAQ 100 down materially this year, now could be the time to consider a patient long term investment.

VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

A second ETF for investors to look at is the VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. This ETF could be a top option for value investors as it aims to invest in a group of fairly valued companies that have sustainable competitive advantages or moats. At present there are approximately ~50 shares included in the ETF. This includes Adobe, Alphabet, Amazon, Boeing, Etsy, MercadoLibre, Microsoft, and Walt Disney.

VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ASX: ESPO)

A third ETF for ASX investors to consider is the VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF. This ETF gives investors access to a portfolio of the biggest and brightest companies involved in the growing video game industry. These include Activision Blizzard, AMD, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Nvidia, Roblox, and Take-Two. The fund manager, VanEck, highlights that these companies are well-placed to benefit from the increasing popularity of video games and eSports.

The post 3 excellent ETFs for ASX investors to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Down 25%: Why is the BetaShares NASDAQ ETF having such a dire year?
• 5 things I look at when buying an ASX ETF
• How I’d build a portfolio by investing in top ASX shares now
• 2 super ETFs for ASX investors to buy and hold
• Of all my ASX ETFs, this is my favourite. Here’s why

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF and ESPO. 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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As most investors would know, 2022 has been a tough year for most of us. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has lost close to 10% year to date (it was significantly more before this bright October). And many ASX 200 shares have fared even worse. But spare a thought for the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ).

Before 2022, this NASDAQ 100 ETF was one of the most successful exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the ASX. It had enjoyed several years of double-digit returns and even rode out the COVID-battered 2020 with a gain of around 30%.

But in 2020 thus far, this ETF has been brought back to earth, and comprehensively so. BetaShares NASDAQ 100 units were trading at $36.58 at the start of the year. Today, this ETF has closed at $27.21 per unit. That represents a year-to-date loss of 25.6% or so.

So what’s going on here? Why has this stellar performer suddenly curdled for investors?

Why has the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF lost a quarter of its value in 2022?

Well, an ETF, and its performance, is only as strong as its underlying holdings. In the BetaShares NASDAQ ETF’s case, these underlying holdings are the 100 companies that make up the NASDAQ 100 Index. The NASDAQ is one of the two major stock exchanges over in the US. It has made a name for itself as the ‘tech-heavy’ exchange, where most of the country’s biggest tech names call home.

That’s why companies like Apple, Amazon.com, Alphabet, Tesla and Microsoft are major constituents of the NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX), and by extension, the NASDAQ 100 ETF.

The NASDAQ ETF also houses other big tech companies like Adobe, NVIDIA, Netflix and Meta (formerly known as Facebook).

As such, any performance analysis of the NASDAQ 100 ETF has to start with these kinds of companies. And by looking at these kinds of tech shares’ performances, we can immediately see why the NASDAQ 100 ETF is struggling this year.

Apple shares have lost almost 18% of their value in 2022 thus far. Microsoft is sitting at a 31% loss, while Amazon has lost 32%. Tesla is down a nasty 43.8%, while Alphabet has given up 34.5% of its value.

Now, on the provider’s latest data, Apple made up a whopping 13.8% of the Betashares NASDAQ 100 ETF’s underlying portfolio. Microsoft accounted for another 9.9%, and Amazon, Alphabet and Tesla, 6.8%, 6,7% and 4% respectively on top of that.

So there was no way this ETF was going to have a good year when its underlying holdings were shedding those kinds of numbers.

That’s why it has been such a dire year for the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF. These are the companies that drove this fund to its spectacular returns in recent years. But they are proving a double-edged sword in 2022.

The post Down 25%: Why is the BetaShares NASDAQ ETF having such a dire year? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 2 super ETFs for ASX investors to buy and hold
• Here’s why I’m confident my investment in the BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF will eventually pay off
• 3 superb ETFs for ASX investors to buy now
• Has the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF been a good buy so far in FY23?
• 3 high quality ETFs for ASX investors to buy next week

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Adobe Inc., Alphabet (A shares), Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Adobe Inc., Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon, Apple, BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2024 $420 calls on Adobe Inc., long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple, short January 2024 $430 calls on Adobe Inc., and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Adobe Inc., Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon, Apple, and Nvidia. 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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Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares outperformed the ASX 200 today.

Santos shares rose 1.97% to $7.76, while Woodside shares climbed 3.15% to $36. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) leapt 0.5% today.

It was a good day for ASX 200 energy shares as a whole. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) closed 2.37% higher, making it the best-performing sector index on the ASX.

Let’s take a look at what might have boosted these two energy shares today.

Oil and gas prices rise

Santos and Woodside are major producers of both gas and oil, and the prices of both these commodities rose today.

The brent crude oil price climbed 0.34% to US$96.02 a barrel, while WTI crude oil lifted 0.27% to US$88.15 a barrel, according to Bloomberg. This follows brent crude oil lifting 2.6% overnight and WTI crude oil jumping 3.25%.

Oil prices rose amid record US crude oil exports of 5.1 million barrels a day, Reuters reported. Crude stocks also lifted by 2.6 million barrels last week.

Nissan Securities general manager Hiroyuki Kikukawa, in quotes cited by Reuters, said:

Solid U.S. crude exports raised optimism over demand and prompted fresh buys, but concerns that China’s muddled economic policies may continue under President Xi Jinping’s growing power limited gains in Asia.

Meanwhile, the European natural gas price lifted 4.54% to €104.32 per megawatt hour, Trading Economics data shows.

Benchmark futures lifted amid news that European measures to deal with energy prices were pushed back to 24 November, Bloomberg reported. This could be well into the European heating season, when demand is expected to be high.

In a quarterly report last week, Woodside highlighted it has signed long-term marketing agreements to provide LNG to the European market. CEO Meg O’Neill said:

Woodside entered into a long-term sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Uniper Global Commodities to supply LNG from our global portfolio from 2023 into Europe, where buyers are urgently seeking alternatives to Russian gas.

Share price snapshot

Woodside shares have soared 64% in the year to date, while the Santos share price has jumped 23%.

For perspective, the ASX 200 has descended around 8% year to date, while the ASX 200 Energy Index has soared 43%.

Woodside has a market capitalisation of more than $68 billion, and Santos has a market cap of nearly $26 billion.

The post Why did Santos and Woodside shares beat the ASX 200 today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Batten down the hatches as RBA may hit households with ‘supersized’ interest rate hike on Melbourne Cup day
• Is the Woodside share price a buy for dividends right now?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• 22 high-yield ASX dividend shares Wilsons is targeting
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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

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The shares of this S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) coal share have exploded in the past year.

New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC) shares have soared 195% from $2.13 at market close on 27 October 2021 to the current share price of $6.31 at market close on 27 October 2022.

So what would my investment would be worth now if I had invested in this ASX coal share at the start of the year?

Would a $5,000 investment be worth it?

Let’s imagine I had invested $5,000 in New Hope shares after market close on 27 October 2021.

This investment would have fetched me 2,347 shares with 89 cents left over.

Now, New Hope shares are worth $6.28, based on the share price at the time of writing.

If I’d invested $5,000 in New Hope shares a year ago, my investment would now be fetching $14,739.16.

However, New Hope also pays a dividend to investors. The company will be paying a fully franked final dividend of 31 cents per share and a special dividend of 25 cents per share on 8 November.

In May 2022, New Hope paid an interim dividend of 17 cents per share and a special cash dividend of 13 cents per share. All up, this is 86 cents worth of dividends.

So if I had fetched 2,347 shares a year ago, I would also be pocketing $2,018.42 from dividends including the payment due on 8 November.

Overall, if I had invested in this ASX coal share a year ago, I would be happy with my investment.

New Hope share price snapshot

New Hope shares have soared 183% in the year to date, while they have gained 17% in the past month.

For perspective, the ASX 200 Index has lost 8% year to date.

This ASX 200 coal share has a market capitalisation of $5.53 billion based on the current share price.

The post If I’d spent $5,000 buying this ASX 200 coal share a year ago, here’s what I would have now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Have ASX 200 high-yield dividend shares been a blessing or a curse in 2022?
• Why Austal, New Hope, Playside, and South32 shares are dropping
• Here are 3 ASX All Ords shares turning ex-dividend this week
• The ASX 200 is roaring higher so why is the New Hope share price sinking 7%?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

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

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) spent a fourth consecutive day in the green on Thursday. The index closed 0.5% higher at 6,845.1 points.

That was despite a rough night on Wall Street amid disappointing earnings from the likes of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOGL)(NASDAQ: GOOG), and Boeing Co (NYSE: BA).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) lifted less than 0.01% overnight, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) dumped 0.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) plunged 2%.

Back home, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) led the way, gaining 2.4% amid rising oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price lifted 2.3% to US$95.69 a barrel overnight, while the US Nymex crude oil price gained 3% to US$87.91 a barrel.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) also outperformed, gaining 1.7%.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Index (ASX: XTJ) weighed, falling 0.4% and 0.7% respectively.

All in all, eight of the ASX 200’s 11 sectors closed higher today. But which share outperformed all others? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The index’s best-performing share on Thursday was Ramelius Resources Limited (ASX: RMS).

Interestingly, there was no news from the ASX gold share today. Though, it did release its quarterly update yesterday.

Today’s biggest gains were made by these shares:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Ramelius Resources Limited (ASX: RMS)	$0.71	8.4%
Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR)	$3.67	7%
Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL)	$1.56	6.85%
St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM)	$0.52	6.12%
Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC)	$0.75	5.63%
Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU)	$1.885	5.6%
Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)	$8.34	5.57%
Imugene Limited (ASX: IMU)	$0.19	5.56%
Smartgroup Corporation Ltd (ASX: SIQ)	$5.04	5.22%
Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR)	$1.43	5.15%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 3 ASX 200 directors who have been buying up their company shares this week
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday
• Why Champion Iron, Lynas, Newcrest, and Sayona shares are storming higher
• Why is the Qantas share price so volatile today?
• Could these ASX 200 lithium shares grow into dividend juggernauts?

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), and Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended SMARTGROUP DEF SET. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares) and Alphabet (C shares). 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 Nitro Software Ltd (ASX: NTO) share price soared today after the ASX tech share released a largely positive quarterly activities report and Q3 2022 trading update.

The ASX small-cap share also put out a statement in regard to media speculation relating to possible further takeover bids. The company rejected a takeover proposal from the Potentia Consortium on August 31.

Nitro shares ended the day trading for $1.73 apiece, an increase of 7.45%. For comparison, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) gained 0.53%.

Takeover talk

Nitro Software could be in the running for additional takeover bids in the future, as it confirmed this afternoon it had “received expressions of interest from a number of qualified third parties”.

In response to the media’s speculation as to whether it would accept a deal, the ASX tech share reiterated that “there is no certainty that the engagement with any third party will result in a change-of-control transaction capable of being considered by shareholders”.

However, this hasn’t stopped sources from guessing whether or not Nitro will look for a better offer.

The Australian reported yesterday that Nitro could be more open to offers from potential acquirers. These include a rumoured bid that will be received tomorrow that will beat Potentia’s original $386 million deal.

Nitro previously reported a takeover approach on 31 August by the Potentia consortium, consisting of Potentia Capital Management Pty Ltd and HarbourVest Partners LLC. Details of the offer included acquiring 100% of the company for $1.58 per share.

However, Nitro turned down the proposal, noting that growth stocks like itself have been severely discounted. It also noted it has a strong competitive moat with its software-as-a-service PDF productivity e-signing platform.

The latest rumours come after fellow tech share ELMO Software Ltd (ASX: ELO) on Wednesday announced the receipt of a recommendable takeover offer.

Elmo has entered into a scheme implementation deed (SID) with K1 Investment Management. The proposed scheme of arrangement would see Elmo shareholders receive $4.85 cash per share.

The buyout proposal is at a relative bargain to its previous valuations. This could suggest tech companies in this environment are still open to being bought out despite receiving what could be considered lowballed offers.

Nitro reports strong Q3 FY22 results

Potential acquirers of Nitro Software could be giving the All Ords share a second look today following the company’s latest quarterly updates.

Highlights included strong reported improvements in its fundamentals. These included annual recurring revenue (ARR) growing 51% year over year and record cash receipts from customers. It also reported a strong financial position with US$29.2 million (AU$ 44.95 million) in cash on its balance sheet.

These developments could give Nitro better leverage at the negotiating table.

Nitro Software share price snapshot

The Nitro Software share price is down around 30% year to date. The All Ords, meanwhile, is down around 9% over the same period.

The company’s market capitalisation is around $394.55 million.

The post Up 7% today, could this ASX All Ords tech share be in for more takeover bids? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 3 ASX tech shares totally crushing the All Ords following big announcements
• Experts say these small cap ASX shares are buys

Motley Fool contributor Matthew Farley has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Elmo Software. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Elmo Software. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nitro Software Limited. 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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is once again enjoying some time in the sun as we head towards the conclusion of this Thursday’s trading session. 

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is up by a robust 0.59% at around 6,850 points.

So now it’s time to delve a little deeper into these market moves. Let’s check out the ASX 200 shares that are presently at the peak of the share market’s trading volume charts, according to investing.com.

The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Thursday

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

ASX 200 lithium producer Pilbara Minerals is first up this Thursday. So far today, a chunky 19.75 million Pilbara shares have been swapped on the share market. There hasn’t been any news out of Pilbara for this session.

However, we have seen a very healthy move in the Pilbara share price itself. Currently, the lithium share is enjoying a 2.51% boost to $5.11 a share. This looks to be the cause of the high volumes we are seeing.

Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)

For the second day in a row, ASX 200 health insurance provider Medibank Private makes the list. Medibank has seen a decent 28.57 million of its shares bought and sold so far this Thursday. After returning from its trading halt yesterday, Medibank had a shocker.

But investors seem to be in a forgiving mood during this session, and have sent the company back up by 1.05% to $2.90 a share. With all of the drama surrounding this company at present, these kinds of volumes are not entirely unexpected.

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

Finally today, we have another ASX 200 lithium stock in Core Lithium. Today has seen a whopping 51.47 million Core Lithium shares exchanged so far. This probably is a consequence of the depressing announcement the company made to investors this morning.

As we covered at the time, Core announced that its supply deal with electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla has collapsed.

The two companies reportedly failed to come to terms for the supply of lithium spodumene concentrate that both sides could agree upon. Investors haven’t reacted kindly, with Core Lithium shares down a painful 5.5% at $1.38 each. This is almost certainly the cause of the elevated trading activity we are seeing.

The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Is the NIB share price benefitting from Medibank’s woes?
• Why ‘long-term lithium prices are far too low’: Wilsons
• Why ANZ, Australian Clinical Labs, Core Lithium, and Kogan are sinking today
• Why is the Qantas share price so volatile today?
• Could these ASX 200 lithium shares grow into dividend juggernauts?

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

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Is the NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF) share price benefitting from the woes of its arch-rival Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL) this week?

Medibank has certainly had one of the worst weeks in its eight years or so of its public history. The company suffered a well-publicised cyber attack earlier this month which left potentially millions of customers’ healthcare data exposed.

Medibank shares went into a trading halt on this news on 13 October and again last week, only returning back to the markets yesterday.

But investors were brutal in their reception of the ASX health insurance provider. Medibank closed at $2.87 a share yesterday, a good 18.2% or so from its pre-halt levels.

The company initially fell again today, down to a new 52-week low of $2.76. However, it has recovered since then and is presently up by 0.70% at $2.89 a share.

So how is the NIB share price reacting to all of this news in its backyard?

Is the NIB share price benefitting from Medibank’s woes?

Well, if you thought NIB shares would be the main beneficiaries of its rivals’ woes, you’d be dead wrong. For one, NIB shares are deep in the red today, nursing a loss of 1.6% to $6.65 a share.

But NIB shares have been on the slide for weeks now. In fact, the company began falling dramatically in value from 13 October onwards, around the date the Medibank cyberattack became public knowledge.

However, this could be something of a coincidence. For on that date, NIB shares returned from a trading halt of their own. But this had nothing to do with cybersecurity or Medibank.

As we covered at the time, NIB shares were halted so that the company could conduct a capital raising. NIB ended up raising $135 million to facilitate its expansion plans into the national disability insurance scheme (NDIS). NIB intends to become a Plan Manager with its acquisition of Maple Plan.

So it seems that investors could have been voicing their disapproval of these plans with the share price drops we saw around then. Or else lowering the NIB share price to the $6.90 that the institutional placement took place at.

Either way, it’s certainly a raucous period in both Medibank and NIB’s histories. But we can conclude that Medibank’s share price woes of late don’t seem to be benefitting the NIB share price at all.

The post Is the NIB share price benefitting from Medibank’s woes? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Wednesday
• Why Codan, Coles, Medibank, and Pilbara Minerals shares are sinking
• Medibank share price plunges 15% as cyberattack bites into outlook
• 22 high-yield ASX dividend shares Wilsons is targeting
• Medibank share price remains suspended amid worsening cyber incident

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended NIB Holdings Limited. 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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