ASX Trading Wrap: Tech stumbles on FAANG results, Syrah strong update, coal stocks lift
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Rene Anthony
Volatile trading has been the hallmark of this week action, largely fuelled by a series of mixed results from mega-tech stocks in the US. Meanwhile, with inflation racing higher, a number of names are feeling the effects, but it hasn't dampened deal-making activity.
Which shares excelled?
Merger and acquisition news is ripe at the moment across the ASX, with the latest company to find itself a takeover candidate being charity and church donor management software firm Pushpay Holdings (ASX: PPH). While details were kept private, the company acknowledged it has received unsolicited, non-binding, and conditional expressions of interest from third-parties, suggesting it has at least a couple of suitors waiting in the wings. Management also reaffirmed the company guidance for underlying EBITDAFI of between US$61.5 million to US$63.5 million.After last week funding breakthrough, graphite miner Syrah Resources (ASX: SYR) followed up with another stellar performance this week. A week ago its subsidiary finalised a non-binding term sheet and received a conditional commitments offer for US$107 million in loan funding from the US Department of Energy, however, this week it was a strong quarterly update that ignited the share price. The company Balama project produced 46kt of natural graphite at 76% recovery, with 35kt sold and shipped, and supported by higher pricing.Thursday trading session proved to be a breath of fresh air for investors with AMP (ASX: AMP) shares, as the financial services company leapt more than 13%. That strong result followed news the company will sell the remaining part of its asset management business, Collimate Capital, to DigitalBridge Group for at least $462 million. Dubbed the crown jewel' in the business, the sale of the division has prompted management to commit to return sale proceeds to shareholders.Coal stocks have been trading in a volatile fashion over recent months, and yet again they featured among the biggest-movers on the ASX. The largest gains among names like Yancoal (ASX: YAL), Whitehaven Coal (ASX: WHC) and New Hope Corporation (ASX: NHC) came late in the week as news emerged that India is looking to step up its import of coal to boost its inventories.Copper miner Sandfire Resources (ASX: SFR) was also a winner this week thanks to a solid quarterly production update. On track to meet its full-year production guidance, management announced sales of US$343.1 million during the quarter, as well as US$186.9 million in EBITDA. The results were buoyed by the contribution of the company MATSA acquisition, prompting management to describe the result as a transformational period.
Which shares dragged on the market?
Life360 (ASX: 360) suffered a rough week, with the family social networking app plunging in value after the company disappointed shareholders with news that its proposed dual-listing in the US is on ice. On Wednesday the stock shed as much as 27%, with a strong increase in subscription revenue no match for the dual-listing setback. What more, the company operating cash burn reached US$37.8 million during the recent quarter, and its acquisition of Tile consumed another $US96.2 million.Meanwhile, a tricky landscape for Nasdaq mega-tech stocks weighed on ASX growth stocks, and the battery metals segment was one of the prime candidates for a sell-off. Lithium miners and related stocks have long been in sync with broader sentiment for growth stocks, so this week overseas action prompted sell-offs across names such as AVZ Minerals (ASX: AVZ), Sayona Mining (ASX: SYA), Liontown Resources (ASX: LTR), Lake Resources (ASX: LKE) and a number of others.Proving a sharp turnaround from just a couple weeks ago, a modest drop in precious metal prices throughout the week weighed on gold miners and producers. Gold prices recently flirted with the US$2,000 per ounce mark before retreating in hasty fashion. This week underperformers from the gold sector included Silver Lake Resources (ASX: SLR), St Barbara (ASX: SBM), De Grey Mining (ASX: DEG), Northern Star Resources (ASX: NST), among others.Another name on the back foot this week was Credit Corp (ASX: CCP), which purchases and collects debt across Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Earlier this week the company announced the completion of the acquisition of the ledger book for ASX-listed peer Collection House, while also presenting a market update to shareholders. Despite upgrading its net lending and ledger investment guidance, the stock was punished on Wednesday.Last but not least, ResMed (ASX: RMD) ended the week on a sour note after it reported a decrease in gross margins. The healthcare equipment maker, which produces sleep and respiratory care devices, saw its gross margins drop by 140 basis points during the most-recent quarter on the back of higher manufacturing expenses and an increase in freight costs.
We'll be back next week with another Weekly ASX Trading Wrap Up - until then, have a great week!
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