Downer EDI Boasts 13% Earnings Growth

Downer EDI re-affirmed 13% EPS earnings growth, which looks attractive against an average market growth rate of  5 – 7 %.

Macro conditions remain positive in DOW’s key markets across education, health, mining road & rail transport. 

Based on FY20 EPS growth we now have DOW on a forward yield of 4.4%.

Internal momentum indicators are pointing higher and we see scope for an upside move into the $7.80/90 range.

Downer EDI

Star & Crown – Trading Update

Crown’s trading update was weaker than expected as main gaming floor revenue was down 0.6%.

Non-gaming revenue growth was 3.5%, while VIP turnover growth was up 13%.

Star Entertainment showed domestic revenue growth of +6.7% but VIP growth disappointed with it coming in flat on the prior period.

Crown looks like good “value” at $12 and is supported by a current ALGO Engine buy signal.

Aristocrat (ALL:ASX) is also looking well supported near the $26 range.

 

EVN Is In The Buy Zone

With the USD starting November with a weaker tone, gold rallied almost 1.5% overnight to reach a high of $1239.00

EVN is our preferred ASX100 stock to gain exposure to an ongoing move higher in gold prices.

Our medium-term target is $3.65.

Evolution Mining

Medibank – Offshore Buying Interest

In Monday’s Opportunities in Review webinar, we highlighted MPL as a high conviction buy strategy. Our entry level was $2.75.

The price action this week suggests offshore fund managers have been aggressively buying Medibank.

With a defensive 4.3% yield, the stock is attractive at current levels.

Medibank Private

 

 

BHP Firms On Capital Return

BHP announced the return of the full US$10.4 billion proceeds from the sale of the mining giant’s US shale assets.

The funds will be returned to shareholders almost immediately through a combination of an off-market buyback in Nov/Dec 18 (US$5.2 billion) and a special dividend of US$5.2 billion payable in January 2019.

BHP has been under an ALGO buy signal since September 11th at $31.20 and we see the next chart resistance level at $35.40.

BHP

 

Local Market Patterns – What Is Unfolding?

Over the last 5 tradings days, our Algo Engine has generated a number of buy signals in oversold blue-chip stocks, as well as the leading market indices and ETF’s.

We believe the market is finding support based on valuation and yield, consequently, we’re likely to see buying support build.

The graph below is the index on the ASX 100.  The graph below that highlights the technical structure we’re watching out for further down the road.

Will the major indices put in place a lower high pattern and generate an ALGO sell signal?

It is too early to position portfolios around this possibility and for now it is “buy the dip” in quality names. However, keep the following image in mind as we work through the December – February periods.

Buy Signals In Local Energy Names

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Crude Oil price dropped 1.3% overnight to post their worst monthly performance in over two years.

The combination of trade wars, the global equity market slump and increasing oil stockpiles has raised concerns about oil demand, which pushed the WTI price 10.8% lower during October.

However, with official US sanctions on Iranian oil set to begin on November 4th, some analysts are looking for a bounce in crude oil prices.

Our ALGO engine is currently showing buy signals in the local oil names: WPL, STO and OSH.

We look for all three of this stocks to firm over the near-term with OSH reflecting the best value on a relative basis

ALGO Update: Buy ALL & CWN

At $27.00, ALL is at about 17.5X estimated FY 2019 earnings.

In addition, given ALL’s exposure in the USA, a further fall in the AUD/USD will act as a tailwind for earnings going into next year.

ALL is part of our ASX Top 50 Model portfolio and we have an upside target of $40.50 over the medium-term.

The share price of CWN dipped to a 10-month low of $12.25 on Monday.

At the current level of $12.60, the stock is trading at less than 20X FY 2019 earnings for a partially franked yield of 4.5%.

Crown is included in our ASX Top 100 Model Portfolio.

Our near-term price target is just over $14.20, with a longer-term view to $15.75

Amcor – Deep Value Below $13.50

Amcor looks oversold and we expect to see a rally back to $14.00 over the next 8 weeks.

Amcor announced a proposal to acquire Bemis in August, when the deal was valued at about $9 billion.

Bemis operates 56 packaging plants in 12 countries but most of its operations are in the USA; Amcor operates 195 packaging plants in 43 countries.

Amcor will shift its main share-market listing to the New York Stock Exchange in the all-scrip buyout, which would make it the world’s largest plastic packaging group.

It will ditch the ASX as its primary home, but still intends to give Australian shareholders exposure through Chess Depository Interests on the ASX.

We expect hedge funds to begin unwinding their short AMC long Bemis position which will create added buy-side demand into the market for AMC shares.

Amcor