In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to end the week on a very disappointing note. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 1.7% to 7,184.3 points.

Four ASX shares that aren't letting that stop them from climbing today are listed below. Here's why they are pushing higher:

APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM)

The APM share price is up almost 2% to $2.22. This morning, this human services company announced a new contract in North America worth $150 million. The new contract will see APM support phase two of the Ontario Employment Services Transformation.

Macquarie Telecom Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ)

The Macquarie Telecom share price is up almost 2% to $59.98. This is despite there being no news out of the telecommunication, cloud computing, cybersecurity and data centre services provider. However, it is worth noting that earlier this week, Goldman Sachs upgraded its shares to a buy rating with a $73.30 price target. It notes that the company is a "[p]ublic sector cloud & cybersecurity leader delivering robust, resilient growth."

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

The Northern Star share price is up 2.5% to $10.64. A number of ASX gold shares are rising on Friday, which has taken the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index 1.4% higher this afternoon. Investors may be switching to safe haven assets given the current market volatility.

Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG)

The Origin Energy share price is up 2% to $8.32. With no news out of the company, this could also be down to investors looking to escape the volatility with safe haven assets. Impressively, this means that the Origin share price has defied the odds and hit a 52-week high today despite the market selloff.

The post Why APM, Macquarie Telecom, Northern Star, and Origin shares are rising today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

S&P/ASX 300 (ASX: XKO) shares closed down 0.8% today, with multinational human services provider APM Human Services International Pty (ASX: APM) following suit, down 3.51% to $2.25.

APM provides various human services including disability employment and aged care assessments.

Over the past three months, APM shares have tumbled 15%, and one company director is taking full advantage of the fall.

Who just invested $2 million in this ASX 300 share?

She's not just a director, she's the founder and executive chair of APM, Megan Wynne.

A change of director's interest notice lodged with the ASX reveals Wynne bought 845,000 shares in the ASX 300 human resources business in two parcels last Wednesday and Friday.

Wynne paid a total of $1,985,224 for her increased holdings.

This means she paid an average price of $2.35 per share for her extra APM stocks.

These were on-market trades made by Wynne indirectly through a family trust.

Why did this company director buy?

Well, that's a question we can't answer for sure. But it's fair to assume that Wynne sees value in her ASX 300 company at the share price it's trading at today.

After all, this is her own money she's spent, not company money.

Looking at APM shares over the past 12 months, we see that the ASX 300 share has had a torrid time.

The red line is certainly choppy, and over this period the APM share price has fallen by 19.3%.

By comparison, ASX 300 shares have risen by a collective 4%.

APM share price history

Since listing in November 2021, APM shares have struggled to beat their IPO offer price of $3.55.

The ASX 300 company had a highly successful initial public offering (IPO), raising about $982.1 million via the issue of 276.7 million shares.

But since it began trading, the ASX 300 stock has never traded above its offer price. It's returned to $3.55 a few times but has never exceeded it.

Although the company is 27 years old, it's comparatively very young compared to other ASX 300 shares.

So, it's early days for APM shareholders. It's certainly not uncommon for newer ASX shares to not produce a capital gain in their first 15 months of trading, so let's keep some perspective here.

APM does pay dividends though, with its first one paid in September 2022. That dividend was 5 cents per share. This represented a dividend yield of 1.61% at the time when the shares were trading for $3.10.

APM will pay its second dividend — also 5 cents per share — on 29 March. It goes ex-dividend tomorrow.

At today's share price, APM currently offers a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 4.44%.

The post This ASX 300 director just loaded up on $2 million worth of her company's shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Fund manager Wilson Asset Management (WAM) has revealed two ASX shares that it rates as buys within the WAM Research Limited (ASX: WAX) portfolio.

WAM operates several listed investment companies (LICs). Two of those LICs are WAM Capital Limited (ASX: WAM) and WAM Leaders Ltd (ASX: WLE).

One of the LICs is called WAM Research, which looks at smaller businesses on the ASX.

WAM describes WAM Research as a LIC that invests in the most 'compelling undervalued growth opportunities' in the Australian market.

The WAM Research portfolio has delivered gross returns (that's before fees, expenses, and taxes) of 13.6% per annum since the strategy changed in July 2010, which is superior to the All Ordinaries Total Accumulation Index (ASX: XAOA) return of 8% per annum.

These are the two ASX shares that WAM outlined in its most recent monthly update.

Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR)

Myer is a department store retailer that has 58 locations across Australia, as well as an online presence.

The fund manager pointed out that last month Myer announced its FY22 result, which showed total sales growth of 12.5% to almost $3 billion. There was also a year-on-year increase of net profit after tax (NPAT) of 103.8% to $60.2 million, after excluding JobKeeper. Its net cash position improved by $74 million to $186 million.

WAM pointed out that the second half was the ASX share's best second half in almost a decade thanks to "strong multi-channel execution", with the online segment beating expectations. The investment team also highlighted that the company's FY23 started strong.

The fund manager is "positive" on the outlook because "management continue to execute on their vision and deliver the turnaround".

APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM)

The other business that was named as an opportunity in the WAM Research portfolio was this international human services provider, which has more than 1,000 locations across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Europe, North America, and Asia.

Last month, APM announced the strategic acquisition of Equus Workforce Solutions, an employment services provider in the US. WAM explained this will allow the ASX share to "materially expand its existing footprint in the North American market".

The cash consideration for this acquisition is $225 million. In FY22, this business generated $47 million of earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) which implies it would add low double-digits to APM's earnings.

WAM said:

The US is an attractive market for APM with funding increasing across most major government programs and the acquisition accelerating growth opportunities.

The post 2 undervalued ASX shares that are growth opportunities: fund manager appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here's why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL)

According to a note out of Morgans, its analysts have retained their add rating and lifted their price target on this energy company's shares to $8.81. This follows news that the company will exit coal 10 years ahead of previous plans. Morgans is positive on the move, particularly given its belief that inflexible brown coal plants will struggle as more variable renewables enter the grid. Outside this, the broker has lifted its earnings estimates for FY 2024 onwards due to the continued strength of futures prices. The AGL share price is trading at $6.81 on Friday.

APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM)

A note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $4.20 price target on this health and human services provider's shares. Goldman notes that APM has signed an agreement to acquire Equus Workforce Solutions for US$153 million. The broker highlights that the deal will increase its North American footprint. In addition, Goldman reiterates its belief that the market is under appreciating APM's ability to generate durable earnings growth. The APM share price is fetching $3.33 this afternoon.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Analysts at Morgan Stanley have retained their overweight rating and $4.62 price target on this telco giant's shares. According to the note, the broker believes that Telstra could be a big winner from the Optus hack. It suspects that mobile customers could switch to Telstra in the coming years because of the scandal. The Telstra share price is trading at $3.86 on Friday afternoon.

The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three stocks listed in the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) are making bold moves today, hitting new highs.

This may be surprising news as the All Ords is down 0.79% at the time of writing, putting it in the middle of its 52-week range. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is also trading 0.76% lower.

So let's check which companies made new highs on Monday.

NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF)

The NIB share price is up 6.95% at the time of writing at $7.775 per share after hitting a 52-week high of $7.79 earlier today. The health insurance fund posted its earnings for FY22 this morning, with underlying operating profit rising 14.8%. It also announced a fully franked dividend of 11 cents per share.

Other highlights from the company's earnings report included group underlying revenue growing 7.2% year-over-year (YoY) to $2.8 billion and a reduction in its net profit after tax (NPAT). It fell 16.6% to $133.8 million, with the company citing volatility in investment markets as the reason for the contraction.

APM Human Services International Pty (ASX: APM)

Shares in the global human services provider are currently trading for $3.45 after hitting an all-time high of $3.55 this morning. There have been no announcements from the company today.

In fact, its most recent news came on Friday last week after the company announced 275,930,211 fully paid shares will be released from voluntary escrow on 29 August. The shares will be released to Madison Dearborn Capital Partners and their associates for a value of $962 million. That's around a third of APM's current market capitalisation of $3.16 billion.

Mader Group Ltd (ASX: MAD)

Shares in the global infrastructure maintenance provider hit an all-time high of $3.33 each this morning. They've since settled at $3.15 a share at the time of writing, up 2.61%. Again, there was no news from the company today.

The Mader Group made its last announcement to the market in July, noting it had beaten its previous market guidance. The company expected to beat its revenue guidance by 9%, delivering a total of $402.1 million in unaudited revenue. Audited results for FY22 are expected on Tuesday this week.

The post 3 ASX All Ords shares cracking new highs on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) peaked shortly after open on Monday, driven by energy shares, before paring back its gains this afternoon. The index was trading 1.11% higher at 6,612.60 points at the end of today's session.

The market spent today awaiting the outcome of the Reserve Bank of Australia's July meeting, to be released on Tuesday afternoon.

The big four banks have previously indicated they're anticipating the meeting will see interest rates hiked between 0.25% and 0.5%, bringing Australia's benchmark interest rate to between 1.1% and 1.35%.

However, T. Rowe Price's Scott Solomon commented a hike of 0.65% – bringing rates to 1.5% – wouldn't come as a surprise.

Energy shares led the ASX 200 on Monday, likely on the back of rising oil prices. The price of Brent crude oil lifted 2.4% to US$111.63 a barrel on Friday while the price of West Texas Intermediate oil gained 2.5% to US$108.43 a barrel.

Real estate shares were the next best performers, with the sector rising more than 2%.

As of Monday's close, none of the ASX 200's 11 sectors was trading in the red.

But which shares outperformed all others? Let's take a look at today's top performers.

Top 10 ASX shares countdown today

Taking out the crown of top performer among the ASX's 200 biggest companies by market capitalisation was APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM). The healthcare share recorded an 8.9% gain on news of debt refinancing.

In its shadow was New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC). Shares in the coal producer lifted 7.78% today. Read more on New Hope here.

Today's top 10 biggest gains were made by these ASX shares:

Data as at market close.

Our top 10 ASX shares today countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to ensure you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the market has closed during weekdays to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are charging higher:

APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM)

The APM share price is up 9.5% to $3.20. This morning this human services provider announced the establishment of an $810 million syndicated multi-currency revolving corporate facility. These funds will be used to close a previous loan facility, which management expects to result in annual pre-tax interest savings of $15 million.

Block Inc (ASX: SQ2)

The Block share price is up 4% to $91.80. Investors have been buying this payments company's shares following an equally solid rise from its NYSE listed shares on Friday evening. That was driven by a rebound in the tech sector. The local tech sector is also rising today, with the S&P ASX All Technology index up 1.45% this afternoon.

Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

The Breville share price is up 5% to $19.03. This morning the appliance manufacturer announced the completion of the LELIT acquisition. Breville is paying a total of $140 million in cash and shares to acquire the premium prosumer home coffee equipment company. Key members of the LELIT management team, including the founders, have joined Breville and its integration is underway.

Superloop Ltd (ASX: SLC)

The Superloop share price is up 4.5% to 73.2 cents. The catalyst for this was news that the telco is planning to undertake an on-market buyback. Superloop intends to buy back upwards of 10% of its issued share capital. This follows the divestment of the company's assets in Hong Kong and Singapore in April, which generated cash proceeds of $125 million.

The post Why APM, Block, Breville, and Superloop shares are charging higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The APM Human Services International Pty (ASX: APM) share price is racing higher in mid-afternoon trade.

This comes after the international human services provider delivered a debt refinance update to the market.

At the time of writing, APM shares are swapping hands at $3.19, up 9.25%.

What did APM announce?

APM shares are pushing higher as investors rally behind the company's refinancing efforts.

According to its release, APM advised that it has successfully secured committed funding to refinance its debts. This involves an $810 million syndicated multi-currency revolving corporate facility to extinguish its existing Term Loan B facility.

APM noted that it has a current net debt of around $450 million with roughly $360 million of liquidity available.

On average, the new facility funding costs are 210 basis points above BBSY at current levels of net debt. BBSY represents the 'bank bill swap bid rate', which is the interest rate used for debt financing.

Pleasingly, this represents a saving of 240 basis points compared to APM's existing Term Loan B facility.

The new facility is revolving, which means that APM can further reduce its interest costs through cash offsets.

The company estimates it will eliminate interest costs of $15 million annually by swapping over to the new loan.

APM says there is no financial penalty for breaking the Term Loan B facility.

The $810 million facility is available in two tranches, a three-year $505 million tranche and a five-year $305 million tranche.

The company expects the refinancing to occur in mid-July.

APM group CEO Michael Anghie touched on the successful refinancing, saying:

Our new facilities have been strongly supported by high quality Australian and International lenders and provide APM with flexibility and reduced interest costs.

We are particularly proud to have the first Social Loan linked corporate facility in Australia. The Social Loan demonstrates the social impact of the services APM provides and the positive impact on society and goes to our purpose of Enabling Better Lives.

APM share price snapshot

Over the last 12 months, APM shares have moved in circles to register a loss of 10% for the period.

Although, when looking at year to date, its shares are 12% higher.

APM has a market capitalisation of approximately $2.9 billion, based on the current share price.

The post What's pushing APM Human Services shares 9% higher today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was back in the red today, weighed down by utilities and energy shares. At the closing bell, the index was 1.97% lower at 6,568.1 points.

It made for the second consecutive session of losses for the local market following weak trade on Wall Street overnight.

The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) lead the ASX 200's downturn, falling 2.1% despite news that Brookfield appears to have snapped up a 2.5% stake in AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL).

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) suffered amid lower oil prices, which fell between 1.5% and 1.8% overnight.

Iron ore futures also slipped again, falling 0.1% to trade at US$130.11 a tonne.

But not all was dire today. The S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) lifted 0.2%.

And there were plenty of gainers among the mix.

Let's take a look at which ASX shares outperformed all others on Thursday.

Top 10 ASX shares countdown today

ASX industrials share APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM) bested the rest today, taking out the top spot among the ASX's 200 biggest companies by market capitalisation. It gained 4.3% today. Read up on APM here.

Next best was financials stock BSP Financial Group Ltd (ASX: BFL). It lifted nearly 4% on Thursday. Find out more about BSP Financial Group here.

Today's top 10 biggest gains were made by these ASX shares:

Data as at 3:59pm AEST

Our top 10 ASX shares today countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to ensure you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the market has closed during weekdays to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

The benchmark All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is tracing lower today, down 2.2% to 6,633 at the time of writing.

That brings the index's losses for the week to more than 8%.

However, the downside hasn't stopped these 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares pushing ahead of the pack today.

5E Advanced Materials Inc (ASX: 5EA)

Shares of 5E are climbing in afternoon trade on Friday, currently up by 2.8% to $2.91 despite no news from company, which produces boron and lithium.

It follows a rise of 11.4% yesterday after a period of wide-reaching volatility for this ASX All Ordinaries share, which saw it sink 14.4% on Tuesday and 10.9% on Wednesday.

Earlier in the week, the company announced it will soon be included in the Russell 2000 Index, Russell 3000 Index, and Russell Microcap Index.

Inclusion into the index will see it added to some portfolios and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track these particular instruments.

Since listing on the ASX on March 1, the 5E share price is down 2.4%.

APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM)

Shares of APM have also bounced from three-month lows this week. The ASX All Ordinaries share is currently trading 4.5% higher at $2.81.

Investors have bid the APM share price up amid the release of a company announcement on Thursday.

While not price sensitive in any way, the company advised that it had released more than one million shares from a holding lock restriction under its "employee gift offer".

The offer was part of APM's initial public offering (IPO) in November. It notes that it's retained "over 90% of our eligible employees" since that time.

The APM share price has slumped 16% since the company's listing on the ASX in November, and has fallen from a high of $3.45 on 24 May.

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)

The Evolution Mining share price is skipping 4.6% higher at the time of writing, trading at $3.66.

Evolution's shares are surging alongside the price of gold. The yellow metal has ticked up to US$1,846 in the last few days.

The ASX All Ordinaries share also copped an upgrade from analysts at UBS, with the broker setting its recommendation to a buy.

UBS is bullish on the gold sector and sees "more value in the ASX gold sector" as macroeconomic pressures begin to mount.

In the last 12 months, Evolution Mining has slipped 22% into the red.

The post 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares defying today's rout to surge higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are charging higher:

APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM)

The APM Human Services share price is up 3.5% to $2.94. Investors have been buying this human services provider's shares after it announced new contract wins. According to the release, APM has been awarded 44 Workforce Australia contracts across 27 employment regions in Australia.

Firefinch Ltd (ASX: FFX)

The Firefinch share price is up 2.5% to 96.8 cents. This morning the gold and lithium explorer announced that the final conditions have been met regarding Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co's investment into its Goulamina Lithium Project. The 50:50 joint venture will benefit from a total debt and equity funding package of at least US$170 million.

Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO)

The Rio Tinto share price is up 2% to $119.23. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of UBS this morning. According to the note, the broker has taken its sell rating off the mining giant's shares and upgraded them to neutral. UBS made the move after increasing its iron ore price forecasts.

Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL)

The Soul Patts share price is up 3.5% to $28.59. Investors have been buying this investment company's shares after they were the subject of a positive broker note out of Morgans. According to the note, the broker has upgraded Soul Patts' shares to an add rating with a $30.60 price target. It made the move largely on valuation grounds following recent weakness in its share price.

The post Why APM, Firefinch, Rio Tinto, and Soul Patts shares are charging higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) will welcome 14 ASX shares to the family this month.

While its sister S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is the flagship index for gauging how the Australian share market is going, the ASX 300 still plays an important role.

Any business that enters the ASX 300 can proudly declare it has "made it" to the big time, according to QVG portfolio manager Chris Prunty.

"The 300 is the benchmark that index funds such as the $9.6 billion Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) seek to replicate," he posted on Livewire.

"It's also the pool that many quantitative and institutional managers tend to use as a cut-off for their potential investable universe."

Not all index entrants are quality

Prunty, however, is disturbed at the latest cohort of ASX shares to be admitted.

"The most interesting thing about the most recent set of 300 entries is the lack of quality," he said.

"Just 4 of the 14 companies going into the 300 are profitable."

He took $2.8 billion index entrant AVZ Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ) as an example of how climbing market capitalisation doesn't equate to a good investment.

"AVZ Minerals is a lithium developer operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo," he said.

"To AVZ's credit they have a monster deposit but our enthusiasm is tempered by the fact the DRC ranks 175 out of 189 countries on the 2020 Human Development Index and is one of the most difficult mining jurisdictions in the world."

The adverse operating environment and "no meaningful cash flow" until financial year 2024, also puts off Prunty's team.

The good, the bad and the ugly

The QVG team calculated that these 4 ASX shares are the only entrants to the ASX 300 that are turning a profit:

• Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)
• APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM)
• MA Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MAF)
• PWR Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWH)

Considering this is such a small minority of the stocks joining the index, Prunty warns investors to be mindful when considering buying any of the entrants.

"Be aware there are technical factors such as index inclusions that can drive share prices well above fair value. Don't get caught up in thematic mania, or if you can't help yourself, keep your bets small," he said.

"If you buy an index product, be aware you're buying the good, the bad and the ugly."

The post Warning: Only 4 ASX shares just added to ASX 300 are profitable appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

As we wave goodbye to summer and cap off another earnings season, we asked our Foolish contributors to compile a list of some of the ASX shares experts are saying to buy in March. Here is what the team came up with.

Tristan Harrison: Adore Beauty Group Ltd (ASX: ABY)

The Adore Beauty share price has fallen by around 47% since the start of 2022.

However, the company continues to grow. Its FY22 half-year result showed record revenue, with growth of 18% to $113.1 million. Active customers also rose 13% to 876,000. Meanwhile, annual revenue per active customer leapt 5% to $224. Returning customers also grew by 56%.

Adore Beauty's profit margin increased by 0.6 percentage points to 33.1%, showing increased profitability. And, the online retailer is investing for growth. Its 'owned marketing channels' are also helping with marketing costs.

UBS rates Adore Beauty as a buy and expects double-digit revenue growth over the medium term. The broker has a price target of $4.70 on Adore shares, more than 120% above yesterday's share price of $2.12 at the market close.

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison does not own shares of Adore Beauty Group Ltd.

Sebastian Bowen: Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Wesfarmers is one of the oldest ASX 200 blue-chip shares on the market. It is the company behind iconic retailers Bunnings, OfficeWorks, and Kmart. It also owns and has investments in a slew of other diversified businesses.

Historically, Wesfarmers is an ASX share that doesn't seem to go through price corrections too often. Yet that is what we've seen in recent months. Since August last year, this conglomerate has lost close to 30% of its value.

This, in turn, has pushed the company's fully franked dividend yield to more than 3.5% on recent pricing. As such, Wesfarmers shares might well be worth a look at in March.

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen does not own shares of Wesfarmers Ltd.

Mitchell Lawler: Steadfast Group Ltd (ASX: SDF)

Steadfast is Australia's largest general insurance broker and underwriting agency network. In simple terms, that means it acts as the broker – not the insurer — selling insurance onto predominantly small-to-medium-sized enterprises.

This $4.59 billion company has had a slow start to the year, with Steadfast shares losing around 12%. However, the company provided solid numbers for the first half of FY22. These included underlying revenue increasing by 19% and net profit after tax (NPAT) surging by around 43% to $104.9 million.

In further positive news, Steadfast's full-year guidance was bumped up to between $163 million and $170 million.

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler does not own shares of Steadfast Group Ltd.

Bernd Struben: Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX: BBN)

Baby Bunting is an iconic nursery retailer with 64 stores across Australia. The company plans to open more outlets over the coming months, forecasting it will eventually have more than 100 in Australia.

The company's expansion into New Zealand has been delayed by the pandemic, with the first Kiwi store now expected to open in 2023.

Atop the potential from its ongoing store rollout, Baby Bunting's diverse product offerings arguably present a decent-sized moat for would-be competitors. The company recently reported strong half-year results, with revenues and profits both up.

Baby Bunting also pays a 2.9% dividend yield, fully franked.

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben does not own shares of Baby Bunting Group Ltd.

Aaron Teboneras: Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB)

According to Citi, the Bubs share price represents a significant buying opportunity at its current level.

The infant formula company released its 2022 financial year half-year results last Wednesday. Investors were clearly impressed, sending the Bubs share price almost 5% higher on the day.

In the release, Bubs management noted it continues to be the fastest-growing infant formula manufacturer across key retail chains. These include Chemist Warehouse, Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW).

Following the record financial performance, Citi analysts raised their 12-month price target for Bubs shares by 7.4% to 73 cents.

Based on the Bubs share price of 42.5 cents at Monday's close, this represents a potential upside of almost 70%.

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras does not own shares of Bubs Australia Ltd.

Zach Bristow: G8 Education Ltd (ASX: GEM)

The ASX has copped a hammering in 2022 – not G8 Education shares though.

Shares in G8 have thrust from a low of $1.04 in late January to close on Monday at $1.29 apiece, a gain of 24%. This also puts the G8 Education share price up by 14% for the year so far.

The company owns and operates childcare centres in Australia and Singapore. For the first half of FY22, operating revenue was up by 11% to $866 million, and net profit after tax (NPAT) was $46 million – up from a loss of $189 million last year.

EverBlu Capital is bullish on G8 Education shares and reckons valuations are attractive right now. The broker values G8 at $2.33 per share, suggesting a potential upside of around 80% at the time of writing.

Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow does not own shares of G8 Education Ltd.

Brendon Lau: APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM)

There appears to be significant upside to the APM share price following the company's strong first-half result and upgraded profit guidance, according to Goldman Sachs. Investors appeared to agree, sending the company's shares 11% higher when its results were released last Friday.

APM's guidance upgrade was driven by the company's recent acquisitions but Goldman believes the upgrade might be too conservative. The broker is recommending APM shares as a buy with a 12-month price target of $4 per share. Based on the APM share price of $2.90 at Monday's close, this represents a possible upside of almost 38%.

Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau does not own shares in APM Human Services International Ltd.

James Mickleboro: Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

The Lovisa share price was a very strong performer in February, climbing by almost 15%. But it may not be too late to invest in this fashion jewellery retailer in March.

That's the view of the team at Morgans, which has put an add rating and $24.00 price target on the company's shares. Based on the Lovisa share price of $19.94 at Monday's close, this represents further potential upside of almost 20%.

Morgans was very impressed with Lovisa's performance during the first half and is confident this positive form will continue in the future. In fact, under the leadership of Lovisa's new CEO, Victor Herrero, the broker sees scope for Lovisa to become "a global force" and "one of the biggest success stories in Australian retail."

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro does not own shares of Lovisa Holdings Ltd.

The post Top ASX shares to buy in March 2022 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Today, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) avoided negative territory after its worst fall in 17 months yesterday. At the end of the session, the benchmark index finished 0.1% higher at 6,997.8 points.

Investors were torn in two directions today as the market unleashed a number of well-received company earnings, while the terror of Russia's invasion of Ukraine raged on.

Surprisingly, it was the tech sector that aided in the positive performance across the Aussie index. Remarkably, every tech share in the ASX 200 finished in the green, putting the sector at an 8.14% gain.

The question is: which shares managed to stay in the green on the ASX today? Here are the top ten stocks that pulled through for investors:

Top 10 ASX shares countdown today

Looking at the top 200 listed companies, Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) was the biggest gainer today. Shares in the uranium mining company charged ahead 12.41% after losses narrowed to US$11 million in the first half. Find out more about Paladin Energy here.

The next biggest gaining ASX share today was APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM). The employment and health services provider experienced a 10.90% jump in its share price. Investors were reacting positively following its solid first-half result. Uncover the latest APM Human Services International details here.

Today's top 10 biggest gains were made in these ASX shares:

Our top 10 ASX shares today countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to ensure you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check-in at Fool.com.au after the market has closed during weekdays to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

Three ASX shares brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here's why they are bullish on them:

APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM)

According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts have initiated coverage on this health and human services provider's shares with a buy rating and $3.60 price target. Goldman notes that APM's revenue is backed by long-term government procurement contracts, with a focus on employment, disability, and allied health services. It also sees strong organic growth opportunities thanks to its ~$2.5 billion per annum revenue tender pipeline and its scaling into the $30 billion per annum NDIS and growing aged care sector. The APM share price is trading at $2.73 today.

Bank of Queensland Limited (ASX: BOQ)

A note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating and $10.00 price target on this regional bank's shares. Macquarie was pleased with the bank's trading update at its annual general meeting and particularly its guidance for positive jaws in FY 2022. It also feels that Bank of Queensland is managing margin pressures well in comparison to some of its peers. The Bank of Queensland share price is fetching $7.96 on Wednesday.

Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM)

Analysts at Morgans have retained their add rating but trimmed their price target on this gold miner's shares to $27.18. Morgans notes that Newcrest recently published studies outlining medium term development plans for its major assets. While the broker acknowledges that a lot of work needs to be done across Newcrest's portfolio, it remains positive on the investment opportunity. It also sees potential for much greater value at Telfer/Havieron and Brucejack than currently modelled. The Newcrest share price is trading at $23.51 today.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It's been a rough week for the APM Human Services International Ltd (ASX: APM) share price.

The company tumbled out of the gates on Friday, finishing its first day on the ASX 6.19% lower than its prospectus' offer price of $3.55.

It hasn't fared much better since. It fell another 6.9% on Monday before experiencing a slight respite yesterday.

At the time of writing, the APM share price is $3.10, having fallen 2.9% today.

That brings its losses so far to 12.6%.

Let's take a look at what the company is about and its initial public offering (IPO).

About APM Human Services International

APM provides human services with a focus on individuals' employability, as well as health, social, and economic wellbeing.

Some of its services include job seeker support, disability employment, and aged care assessments.

It's a provider of the Australian Government's Jobactive and Disability Employment Services.  

Therefore, it likely comes as no surprise that the Australian Government is one of the company's biggest Australian customers. It also has Bupa and the National Disability Insurance Agency on its books.

It's a similar picture in APM's other markets, with most customers being various governments and government departments.

APM's IPO

APM's debut didn't see its share price perform as well as other company's share prices have on floating, but the company's boss is optimistic about its future.

APM chair and founder Megan Wynne, commented on the company's float, saying:

Following the IPO we will continue to grow and expand our business globally. We will continue to deliver on our purpose of enabling better lives, by partnering with our stakeholders, and supporting more clients each year, to positively change their lives.

APM's $982.1 million float was expected to see it with a market capitalisation of around $3.25 billion.

Instead, at its current share price, APM has a valuation of approximately $2.84 billion.

What's next for the APM share price?

The company's predicted revenue might be what drives the APM share price forward from here.

APM is expecting to bring in around $1.3 billion this financial year. Its forecasts pro-forma earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of $294.9 million.

Its net profit after tax and amortisation is expected to be $68.2 million.

Last financial year, 52% of APM's revenue came from Australia. The other 26% was from Europe and 12% was from the United States. The Asia Pacific region topped it off, bringing in 8% of the financial year's revenue.

The post Why has the APM Human Services (ASX:APM) share price tumbled 12% since Friday's IPO? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It's a massive week for ASX listings this week, as Friday will see the second billion-dollar company debut.

In fact, APM Human Services International Limited (ASX: APM) will start its public life with a $3.26 billion market capitalisation. That dwarfs Siteminder Limited (ASX: SDR)'s $1.36 billion valuation at the time of its listing on Monday.

The initial public offer (IPO) alone will have raised $982 million for APM Human Services.

APM is a disability services provider with headquarters in Perth. The business was established in 1994 by executive chair Megan Wynne, who will become a billionaire on Friday with her 34.2% stake.

"I started my career as an occupational therapist and it is our allied health and rehabilitation foundations that shape the way we approach working with our clients," she said in a letter to investors.

"Regardless of their circumstances, age, or stage of life, our evidence-based practice supports people to live a fulfilling life, recover from injury or illness, gain sustainable employment, or maintain their quality of life as they age."

APM shares were issued during the IPO at $3.55 each. They start trading on a conditional and deferred settlement basis on Friday, while general trading will commence Wednesday.

APM is profitable, but reliant on government programs

Although broadly labelled as a disability services provider, the company also lists "sole parents, youth, aged workers, ex-offenders, and people from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds" as beneficiaries of its services.

Technically, the customers are institutions, mainly government employment agencies.

The prospectus indicates the main reasons for raising $982 million are to pay off debts and provide existing investors with a liquid market to trade their shares.

APM has business spread across 10 countries, with 52.2% of its revenue coming from Australia. Europe raked in 26.8% of the 2021 financial year revenue, while North America brought in 12.5% and Asia-Pacific 8.5%.

The last financial year saw $1.03 billion of revenue come in, resulting in a net profit after tax and amortisation of $48.9 million.

"For FY22, the directors forecast that APM will generate pro forma revenue of $1.3 billion, pro forma EBITDA of $295 million and pro forma NPATA of $155 million, representing growth of 31%, 26% and 21% respectively over FY21-FY22," said Wynne.

Fund managers have reportedly been cautious about APM's float, as its business is heavily dependent on the federal government's Disability Employment Services scheme.

That program has been under fire for the underwhelming results realised in return for increasing annual costs, as detailed in a Boston Consulting Group report last year.

The post Another billion-dollar baby lists on ASX this Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.