Category: Australia & NZ

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ASX 200 breakout

Strong earnings reports and continued interest in major banks lifted the ASX 200. Rising Trend Index troughs signal buying pressure. Breakout above 6300 offers a short-term target of 6500.

ASX 200

The ASX 300 Banks index followed through above 8100, indicating another rally with a medium-term target of 8500 (long-term 8750).

ASX 300 Banks Index

But the ASX 300 Metals & Mining index broke support at 3750, warning of a test of primary support at 3400. Fears of a US-China trade war are likely to undermine commodity prices.

ASX 300 Metals & Mining

I am also wary of banks because of higher funding costs, falling credit growth and rising default risk .

So the primary trend on the ASX 200 is up but I remain cautious, holding over 30% cash in the Australian Growth portfolio.

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ASX 200 buying pressure

The ASX 300 Metals & Mining index continues to test support at 3750. Breach of support and the rising trendline would warn of a correction to 3400.

ASX 300 Metals & Mining

The ASX 300 Banks index recovered above 8000, the false break suggesting another rally, targeting 8500.

ASX 300 Banks Index

I remain wary of banks, however, because of higher funding costs, falling credit growth and rising default risk .

The ASX 200 continues to test resistance at 6300. Rising Twiggs Money Flow troughs signal buying pressure. Breakout above 6300 would present a short-term target of 6500.

ASX 200

The primary trend is upward but economic indicators and the potential impact of a US-China trade war make me cautious. I hold more than 30% cash in the Australian Growth portfolio.

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No Silver lining for Gold stocks

A long-term chart shows Silver broke support at $16/ounce and is headed for a test of its 2015 low at $14.

Spot Silver in USD

Silver is more volatile but often indicates, ahead of Gold, the direction of the two precious metals. At present that suggests Gold is likely to test its 2015 low of $1050/ounce.

Spot Gold in USD

China’s Yuan continues to fall against the US Dollar.

CNY/USD

The Dollar Index followed through after breaking resistance at 95. Retracement to test the new support level is now unlikely unless China intervenes to support the Yuan. Focus shifts to the long-term target of 103.

Dollar Index

The Australian Dollar broke support at 73 US cents, the Trend Index peak below zero warning of a strong decline. This may cushion local gold miners, to some extent, from the falling US Dollar price but Gold is more volatile.

Australian Dollar/USD

The All Ordinaries Gold Index (XGD) continues to test support at 4900. Breach is likely and would offer a long-term target of 4100.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

Not a good time to buy Gold stocks.

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Wisetech Global Ltd (WTC)

Stock: Wisetech Global Ltd
Symbol: WTC
Exchange: ASX
Latest Price: $15.47
Date: 9 August 2018
Financial Year: 30 June 2018
Results Due: 22 August 2018

WTC was added to the ASX 200 in December 2017 and shows strong growth in revenue and earnings as well as price performance since 2016.

Wisetech Global Ltd (WTC)

We have not rated WTC as a buy signal because:

Our valuation is substantially below the current price. Assuming long-term revenue growth of 25%, while operating expenses grow at a slower rate of 23% due to economies of scale, delivers a value of $10.00 per share.

Results for the 6 months to 31 December 2017 (1H18) show declining Net Income and Free Cash Flow as a percentage of Revenue. Declining margins are the opposite of what we expect to see with economies of scale.

WTC Net Income and Free Cash Flow as % of Revenue

Free Cash Flow is also consistently lower than Net Income because a percentage of research and development costs is capitalized. While one can expect to benefit from current R&D in future years, most companies need to expend a constant percentage of Revenue on R&D in order to maintain their competitive position, especially in Software Development .

WTC looks like a great business, with strong customer retention rates, but is over-priced at present.

We will review WTC performance after FY18 results are announced on 22 August 2018.

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Appen Limited (APX)

Stock: Appen Limited
Symbol: APX
Exchange: ASX

Appen was added to the ASX 200 in June 2018 and displays strong performance in both LT technical and revenue & earnings growth.

Appen Limited (APX)

Despite this, we have not added APX to our model portfolio, or issued a buy signal, because of its market position.

We are looking for companies with a competitive advantage that enables them to defend market share against competitors, without compromising profit margins.

APX competes in a crowded, technology-driven market against a vast number of competitors (over 17,500 Content Relevance and Language Resources providers, according to Jacob Simonsen at Lincoln) and is vulnerable to technology advances by competitors that could make it difficult for APX to defend its market share.

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ASX 200 retreats

The two largest sectors in the ASX 200 are both retreating from recent highs.

The ASX 300 Metals & Mining index is testing support at 3750. Breach of support and the rising trendline would warn of a test of primary support at 3400.

ASX 300 Metals & Mining

The ASX 300 Banks index reversed below its short-term support level at 8000, warning of a test of primary support at 7300.

ASX 300 Banks Index

The banking sector faces the prospect of higher funding costs, falling credit growth and rising default risk and I remain cautious despite penetration of the descending trendline which suggests that a bottom is forming.

The ASX 200 retreated from resistance at 6300. Breach of short-term support at 6200 would warn of a correction.

ASX 200

The primary trend is upward but economic indicators warn of rising headwinds and a potential bear market. I remain cautious, with more than 30% cash in the Australian Growth portfolio.

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Dollar strength hurts Aussie gold stocks

China’s Yuan continues its steep descent against the US Dollar.

CNY/USD

The weakening Yuan strengthened demand for Dollars, with the Dollar Index breaking through strong resistance at 95. Expect retracement to test the new support level. Respect would confirm the long-term target at the 2016/2017 highs of 103.

Dollar Index

The strong Dollar weakened demand for Gold, with the spot price heading for $1200/ounce after breaching short-term support at $1220.

Spot Gold in USD

A long-term gold chart shows likely support levels at $1150 and $1050/ounce.

Spot Gold in USD - Quarterly

The Australian Dollar continues to range between 73.50 and 75.00 US cents, leaving local gold miners exposed to the falling Dollar price.

Australian Dollar/USD

The All Ordinaries Gold Index (XGD) is testing support at 4900. Breach is likely and penetration of the rising trendline warns of a strong decline, with a LT target of 4100.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

A sharp fall in the Aussie Dollar would soften the blow. But hope isn’t a strategy.

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Iron ore bounce lifts the ASX

Iron ore spot prices bounced off support at $63/tonne. Follow-through above $68 would suggest another rally to test resistance at $80 but that seems unlikely given the current threat of a trade war.

Iron Ore Spot Price

The ASX 300 Metals & Mining index found support at 3750. Breakout above 4000 would signal another advance but reversal below 3750 and a correction to test primary support at 3400 are more likely if iron ore retreats.

ASX 300 Metals & Mining

The ASX 300 Banks index continues to consolidate in a bullish narrow band above its new support level at 8000. Follow-through above 8100 would suggest another advance, with a target of 8700. The index is still in a primary down-trend but it is evident that a bottom is forming. A higher low on the next correction, followed by a new high, would signal the start of a primary up-trend.

ASX 300 Banks Index

The banking sector faces the prospect of higher funding costs, falling credit growth and rising default risk and I remain wary.

The ASX 200 is again testing resistance at 6300. Breakout would signal a primary advance with a target of the October 2007 high at 6750.

ASX 200

Technical signals suggest a primary advance while economic indicators warn of rising headwinds and a potential bear market. I remain cautious, with more than 30% cash in the Australian Growth portfolio.

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Falling Yuan strengthens the Dollar but weakens Gold

China failed to intervene in the past few weeks, allowing the Yuan to fall to offset the impact of tariffs instead of selling foreign reserves to support the currency. Their actions risk further retaliation by the Trump administration and could spark a full-blown trade war.

CNY/USD

A weakening Yuan is likely to increase demand for US Dollars, both as investors in the Middle Kingdom seek to withdraw and as borrowers with USD-denominated loans seek to hedge or repay.

The Dollar Index continues to test strong resistance at 95. Breakout is likely and would offer a target of 2016/2017 highs at 103.

Dollar Index

Spot Gold is in a primary down-trend, consolidating in a narrow band above short-term support at $1220/ounce. Breach of support is likely and would offer a short-term target of $1200.

Spot Gold in USD

The Australian Dollar is also in a primary down-trend, consolidating above 73.50 US cents. So far, the weaker currency has cushioned local gold miners from the impact of falling spot prices.

Australian Dollar/USD

The All Ordinaries Gold Index (XGD) recovered above support at 4950. Follow-through above 5100 would indicate another test of 5400.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

But downside risk to Australian gold stocks is rising as the USD spot price falls. Gold is more volatile than the Aussie Dollar.

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Pro Medicus (PME)

Stock: Pro Medicus
Symbol: PME
Exchange: ASX
Financial Year-end: 30 June 2018
Latest price: $8.07
Date: July 19, 2018

Company Profile

Pro Medicus Ltd provides radiology information systems (RIS), picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), and advanced visualization solutions to hospitals, imaging centres and health care groups worldwide.

Its Visage product line comprises solutions for RIS (Radiology Information Systems) /Practice Management, Healthcare Imaging and e-health. These systems can be used either individually or in combination by radiologists and other medical imaging professionals to interpret images created by medical imaging equipment such as X-Ray and Ultrasound machines and CT and MRI Scanners and communicate the results to their referring clinicians.

The company has offices in Melbourne, Berlin and San Diego.

Competitors

About 70% of sales are in the USA where the company competes with big names like Siemens, Fuji and Phillips.

Improving margins and big name contracts such as the Mayo Clinic in the US and Primary Health and I-Med in Australia suggest that the company is able to compete effectively.

Financial performance

Margins

Operating margins declined from 2011 to 2013, along with revenues but have steadily recovered to 49.04 for the 12 months to 31 December 2017 (TTM).

PME Operating & Net Income Margin % of Revenue

Net income margin has recovered to a healthy 29% of revenue.

Revenue Growth

Revenue growth recovered, after falling 2011 – 2013, to average 14.7% compound growth since 2018. Annual growth in the range of 15% to 20% is expected.

PME Revenue & Earnings per share

From 31 Dec 2017 Directors Report: “….the Company continued to make strong inroads into the North America market winning a key $18.0m contract with Yale New Haven Health, one of the most recognised health systems in North America.”

The vast majority of the company’s contracts are now transaction-based “pay per view” which increases the appeal to smaller practices and locks in future growth for the company as revenues grow in line with client revenues.

Earnings per share

Earnings per share is expected to grow faster than revenue due to improving margins and economies of scale.

Capital structure

Cash reserves were $22.80m at 31 December 2017 and the Company remains debt free.

Weaknesses

Future growth depends on the company’s ability to maintain its competitive position.

International profits are also vulnerable to foreign exchange fluctuations.

Valuation

Price/Earnings is high at 66.5 based on expected 2018 earnings of 12.1 cents. With a gross dividend yield of 0.62% that implies revenue growth at the top of the expected range (20%) while operating costs continue to grow at 8%.

 

Technical Analysis

Price peaked at $9.00 in January 2017 and has consolidated above support at $7.00. 50-Week Twiggs Momentum is again rising after a low of 67.3% in May 2018 backed up by 50-week Trend Index holding above zero since July 2012.

PME Twiggs Momentum & Trend Index

On the daily chart, Twiggs Trend Index (21-day) flags a fresh entry point with a 0.2% upward reversal.

PME Twiggs Trend Index (21-day)

Conclusion

BUY (July 23, 2018)

Disclosure

Staff of The Patient Investor may directly or indirectly own shares in the above company.

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