Much to the relief of its long-suffering shareholders, the Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) share price is climbing higher at long last.

At the time of writing the digital performance marketing company's shares are up over 30% to 6.4 cents.

Despite today's gain, its shares are still down almost 60% since that start of the year.

Why are its shares higher?

This morning Mobile Embrace provided the market with a trading update which revealed that it has had a positive start to FY 2018.

According to the release, although it is still early in the year, management is confident that the company is well-placed to return to EBITDA growth in FY 2018.

In FY 2017 the company posted EBITDA of $5.4 million, down 43% on the $9.5 million EBITDA it delivered a year earlier.

This was the result of issues with the company's Carrier Billing business that forced it to shift its focus to Performance Marketing.

While this has been a bit of a disaster for the company, its Performance Marketing business is a much higher quality business which enjoys higher margins and improved returns on funds employed.

Should you invest?

I think management has done a great job at saving the company amid the demise of its Carrier Billing business. However, I think investors ought to wait to see how the Performance Marketing business progresses over the next 12 months.

While things are certainly looking up for the company at the moment, it might just be a little too soon to invest.

In the meantime, investors may want to consider shares such as EML Payments Ltd (ASX: EML) and PUSHPAY FPO NZX (ASX: PPH).

The post Why the Mobile Embrace Ltd share price rocketed 30% higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) appears set to rise today, following a mostly positive session for international equity markets to end last week, the futures market is pointing to a 24-point rise at the opening bell.

Here's a quick recap:

• FTSE 100 (UK): up 0.11%
• DAX (Germany): up 0.72%
• CAC 40 (France): up 0.74%
• Dow Jones (USA): up 0.18%
• NASDAQ (USA): up 0.1%

The iron ore price rose 3.7% during the latest session, according to The Metal Bulletin, which could bring shares of companies such as Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) and BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) into the spotlight.

Gold rose 0.3% as well to almost US$1,325 an ounce. That could help provide a boost for some companies in the gold sector such as Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM).

The Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB) share price experienced a rollercoaster ride on Friday, and could thus be back on the market's agenda today. The shares began the session sharply lower before surging to a high of 71.5 cents – an intraday gain of 16.3%. The shares then ended the session 3.3% lower.

Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) was another company whose shares endured a touch session, ending Friday more than 21% lower. The shares have now lost almost two-thirds of their value since the beginning of the year, and more than 80% over the past 12 months.

And finally, shares of Martin Aircraft Company Ltd (ASX: MJP) will remain in a trading suspension today after the company failed to hand in its financial results for the half-year period ended 30 June 2017.

The post 6 shares you need to watch on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

One of the biggest movers on the market today was the Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) share price.

But unfortunately for its shareholders it was a significant move lower. The mobile marketing and carrier billing company's shares finished the day lower by a whopping 21% to 5.9 cents.

This means that Mobile Embrace's shares have now plunged over 80% since this time last year.

Why did its shares sink lower?

The catalyst for today's decline was the release of its full-year results after the market closed on Thursday.

In FY 2017 Mobile Embrace saw revenue fall 13% to $52.5 million and profit after tax plunge 67.5% to $1.6 million.

This was largely the result of issues with the company's Carrier Billing business that forced it to shift its focus almost entirely to its Performance Marketing business.

Earlier this year the company advised that external factors were impacting its Carrier Billing operations and that in order to better manage future earnings risk, it would put marketing activities on hold and reduce spend across the segment.

Unfortunately this remains the case and the company will continue to focus predominantly on its Performance Marketing business in FY 2018.

Despite this, though, management does expect the higher margin business will help the company generate a stronger EBITDA result in FY 2018 off a lower revenue base. So things are looking a touch more positive in my opinion.

Should you invest?

Whilst its shares have fallen sharply this year and things could improve in FY 2018, I wouldn't be in a rush to make an investment.

I would suggest investors hold off until its half-year results are announced to wait and see if the company's transformation is coming along successfully.

In the meantime, I would suggest investors look at quality small-cap tech shares such as GetSwift Ltd (ASX: GSW) or Swift Networks Group Ltd (ASX: SW1) instead.

The post Why the Mobile Embrace Ltd share price plunged 21% lower today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in digital-marketing business Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) soared 25 per cent to 9.4 cents today, after it confirmed it expects to meet full year EBITDA guidance of $5.3 million on guidance for revenue around $52.1 million.

The news came as a relief to nervous investors spooked by the startup's February 2017 downgrade to full year financial expectations in a move it blamed on "external factors" delaying its international direct carrier billing (DCB) rollout. In fact despite today's strong share price rise the stock is down around 75 per cent over the past year.

The group has now put the marketing of its DCB operations on hold to focus on its "Performance Marketing" revenue-generating transactions. The group also boasted it retains strong cash reserves and is operating cash flow positive, with more news to be provided on its growing performance marketing operations when it hands down its profit report in late August.

The post Why the Mobile Embrace Ltd share price is soaring today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It has been a disappointing day for the S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO). In afternoon trade the benchmark index has given back most of yesterday's gains and is down by 0.8% to 5,726 points.

Four shares which haven't let that hold them back are listed below. Here's why they have stormed higher today:

The IOOF Holdings Limited (ASX: IFL) share price has climbed almost 6% to $10.67 after the financial services company announced its full-year results. The market appears to have been impressed with IOOF's net inflows during the period. The company finished the second-half with net inflows of $4.6 billion, up an impressive 156% on the prior corresponding period.

The Lifehealthcare Group Ltd (ASX: LHC) share price is up 2.5% to $2.41 despite there being no news out of the healthcare specialist. Today's gain means that Lifehealthcare's shares have risen 15% in the last three months thanks partly to the strengthening of the Australian dollar. As the company imports medical equipment from specialist U.S. manufacturers, the strong local currency provides it with more purchasing power.

The Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) share price has rocketed 23% to 9.2 cents following the release of a trading update out of the mobile commerce company. After a shaky 12 months, the company has finished on a high by revealing it has met its revised FY 2017 revenue and EBITDA guidance. Whilst this is good news, I'd still stay clear of the company following its disappointing performance this year.

The Wattle Health Australia Ltd (ASX: WHA) share price is up 8% to $1.00 after the health and wellness food company announced the incorporation of a 100% owned Vietnam-based subsidiary. The new subsidiary has been granted a 10 year import and wholesale license which will give Wattle Health access to one of the largest consumer dairy markets in South East Asia. Another great development for the fledgling company.

The post Why these 4 ASX shares stormed higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) share price has surged higher in afternoon trade following a positive announcement out of the mobile marketing and carrier billing m-commerce company.

In late trade its shares are up 14% to 8.8 cents.

What happened?

This afternoon the company advised that it has settled its ongoing litigation with GBD Ventures.

GBD Ventures was suing Mobile Embrace for approximately $3.5 million for losses alleged to have been incurred under a digital video advertising inventory supply agreement.

According to the release, judgement has gone in favour of Mobile Embrace. The company's cross-claim has, however, been dismissed.

As a result, under the terms of the settlement, all parties will be responsible for payment of their own legal costs.

Despite today's gain, Mobile Embrace's shares are still down a disappointing 45% year-to-date.

The post Mobile Embrace Ltd share price jumps 14% on litigation settlement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) share price has been one of the biggest movers on the market in the last month.

During this time the mobile marketing and carrier billing m-commerce company's shares have risen a massive 69%.

Why have its shares jumped?

Not even the company can understand why its shares have suddenly spiked.

The recent jump in its share price caught the attention of the ASX which issued the company with a please explain.

The company advised that is not aware of any information concerning it that has not been announced to the market which could explain the recent trading in its securities.

Perhaps the most likely explanation is bargain hunters. While Mobile Embrace may have been one of the best performers in the last month, it has been one of the worst performers on the market this year.

Even after this 69% gain its shares are still down almost 50% year-to-date. The reason for that decline is explained here.

The post The Mobile Embrace Ltd share price is up 69% in a month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO)(ASX: XJO) ended higher on Monday with share price gains from Vocus Group Ltd (ASX: VOC) and Aconex Ltd (ASX: ACX).

Here's a quick recap of global markets:

• FTSE 100 (UK): down 0.1%
• DAX (Germany): up 0.2%
• CAC 40 (France): down 0.4%
• Dow Jones (USA): down 0.1%
• NASDAQ (USA): down 0.1%

Here are today's key stats:

• ASX 200: up 0.3%
• All Ordinaries (ASX: XAO) (Index: ^AXAO): up 0.3%
• Australian dollar (A$) (AUDUSD): 75.61 cents
• Gold price: up 0.2%
• Copper: down 0.2%
• WTI Crude Oil: down 2.1%
• Iron ore: up 4.4% to $US68.22 a tonne, according to The Metal Bulletin

Amongst the worst-performing shares on the ASX today were Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) shares and BlueScope Steel Limited (ASX: BSL) shares following falls in the iron ore price.

The Village Roadshow Ltd (ASX: VRL) share price tumbled more than 8% lower after the leisure and entertainment business reported that its Gold Coast theme parks had been affected by the tragedy at Ardent Leisure Group's (ASX: AAD) Dreamworld, as well as Cyclone Debbie.

At the other end of the market, Vocus Group, Aconex, Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE), Tassal Group Limited (ASX: TGR) and Zelda Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: ZLD) shares were amongst the best performers.

Aconex shares have staged a strong comeback over the past month despite no company-specific news.

Here are today's top stories:

• Revealed: 10 ASX shares that could get crushed by Amazon
• Up 30% in a month the Aconex Ltd share price is too sexy for its shorts
• 3 shares I'd buy in the ASX50 today
• 4 reasons why smart investors prefer ASX share dividends to term deposits
• Here's why the Gentrack Group Ltd share price is going nuts in 2017
• These 4 shares are the S&P/ASX 200's best performers: Should you buy them?

The post S&P/ASX 200 finishes higher Monday: 8 shares you missed appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It has been a reasonably positive start to the week for the S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO). In afternoon trade the benchmark index is up 0.1% to 5,861 points thanks to gains in the information technology and financial sectors.

Four shares which have made notably strong gains today are listed below. Here's why they have started the week with a bang:

The Aconex Ltd (ASX: ACX) share price has jumped 5% to $4.50 despite there being no news out of the software-as-a-service company. Today's gain means that its shares have now climbed a remarkable 15% in just the last five trading sessions. It would appear as though some investors think this exciting company could be a bargain buy after a sharp drop in its share price over the last 12 months.

The Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) share price is up a massive 49% to 7.3 cents after the mobile commerce company provided a positive trading update. Due largely to the strong performance of its Performance Marketing division, management reaffirmed its full-year revenue and EBITDA guidance of $52 million and between $5 million and $6 million, respectively. Very promising, but too soon to invest in my opinion.

The Tassal Group Limited (ASX: TGR) share price is up 3.5% to $4.50 after the salmon producer confirmed positive environmental improvement results at Macquarie Harbour. According to the release, the latest environmental surveys show leases 214 and 219 are now fully compliant. I think this is great news for the company and believe it could be a good investment at today's price.

The Zelda Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: ZLD) share price has climbed once again, this time by 4% to 13.5 cents. Investors have been fighting to get a slice of the pot stock since it announced plans to expand its clinical trials in Chile to cover autism. Trials are expected to commence in the second-half of the year and run for three to six months.

The post Here's why these 4 ASX shares have started the week with a BANG appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Thankfully for its long-suffering shareholders, the Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) share price has taken a step in the right direction today following a positive announcement out of the mobile commerce company.

At the time of writing its shares are up a whopping 49% to 7.3 cents.

Thanks to the strong performance of the company's Performance Marketing business unit, Mobile Embrace reaffirmed its full-year guidance of revenue of $52 million and EBITDA of between $5 million and $6 million.

In recent times management has increased its focus on building marketing transaction volumes through the progressive development of its Performance Marketing business unit, and it appears to have paid off.

The unit is now the company's dominant revenue and earnings driver with transactions increasing and delivering a higher EBITDA margin than its Carrier Billing unit.

For the nine months to March 2017, the Performance Marketing business unit has delivered average monthly marketing transactions of 1.9 million per month. This is a 46% increase on FY 2016's average of 1.3 million monthly marketing transactions.

Impressively the company has over 200 simultaneous client campaigns now live and boasts retention rates in excess of 90%.

Management believes that generating traffic and leads are two of the top marketing challenges for businesses. As a result it feels the industry outlook for performance marketing is encouraging.

Should you invest?

Despite today's huge gain Mobile Embrace's share price is still down almost 80% in the last 12 months.

While this could potentially make it a bargain buy, I wouldn't necessarily be rushing into an investment just yet.

The company's shift away from carrier billing looks to have been a success so far, but it is still early days and a highly competitive environment.

I would suggest investors hold off an investment for now and wait to see how the Performance Marketing business unit develops over the next 12 months.

In the meantime an investment in tech stars such as Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) and Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) would be far better options in my opinion.

The post Here's why the Mobile Embrace Ltd share price is up 49% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The share market is just as much a place for businesses to raise capital as it is to trade ownership stakes in businesses, which means since the start of time the market has attracted people looking to take capital from investors in return for a chance to own a share of their businesses or even just business plans.

Unfortunately the opportunity for easy money and a questionable regulatory environment when it comes to listings means a lot of companies coming to the market range from a dubious to dire quality.

Smart investors need to be aware of these potential land mines as they could blow up your portfolio's returns as many will turn into loss-making capital sinkholes to be avoided at all costs.

If you don't believe me, take a look at the Tech Wreck table below and some of the horrendous one-year returns.

Source: Mike King, prices accurate as at March 13, 2017.

All of the above companies are likely to have an exciting story to sell about how their technology products could be disruptive, connected to the cloud, Internet of Things, or ready to use mobile to make their investors rich, but some of them are little more than a tax on the gullible.

A fool and his money are soon parted, with most of the companies above wrecking their shareholders' investments in what should be a textbook lesson as to why smart investors avoid the "story telling" end of the market like the bubonic plague.

So if you're serious about creating lasting wealth for yourself and family it's best to look for companies making profits and paying dividends – at the end of the day share prices will follow cash flows and profits either higher or lower over the medium term.

There are also plenty of profitable companies on the ASX that offer the opportunity for blockbuster returns over time if you know where to look!

Below are "Our Top 5 ASX Dividend Shares to Earn You Money in 2017"….

The post Warning: These Tech Wrecks could destroy your wealth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Earnings season can be a time of joy, but it can also be a time for disappointment. Every February (and August), the majority of companies listed on the ASX release statements detailing their revenue and earnings results which can either surprise to the upside, or dishearten those who hold their shares.

While there have been plenty of positive earnings reports issued by companies this week (including these three), there have also been a number which have not been up to scratch.

Chocolate maker Yowie Group Ltd (ASX: YOW) pleased the market recently when it announced it was bringing its flagship brand back to Australian shores. Unfortunately, it instead lost some favour with investors today when it provided an update on year-to-date sales. While the second-half will likely produce a stronger result than the first half (it said net sales are expected to grow as much as 90% for the full-year, compared to 70% in the first half), it reduced its fiscal 2017 target for markets outside the United States. It had originally expected to almost double its revenue.

Meanwhile, Genworth Mortgage Insurance Australia (ASX: GMA) shares closed almost 15% lower on Wednesday after it released its own full-year earnings update. The company's gross written premium fell 24.8% to $382 million and its insurance margin fell to just 32.4% during the second-half, according to its presentation. Its underlying net profit result also fell almost 20% to $212.2 million.

Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) shareholders are likely also still feeling the effects of Tuesday's market update. Firstly, the company said its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the first half was $2.1 million, down from almost $4.1 million in the prior corresponding period. Revenue was also slightly lower. However, the company also provided a rather grim forecast for second-half results, which suggested that revenue will be even lower during that half compared to the six months just completed. The shares lost almost half of their value on the day that update was made.

The post Earnings Season: These 3 companies have disappointed this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) is expected to open slightly higher this morning, with the futures market pointing to a mere 3-point gain at the opening bell.

Here's a quick recap:

• FTSE 100 (UK): up 0.2%
• DAX (Germany): up 0.34%
• CAC 40 (France): down 0.49%
• Dow Jones (USA): up 0.19%
• NASDAQ (USA): up 0.19%

Commodity prices drifted lower again overnight, with iron ore and oil prices both falling nearly 2%. Gold remains around the US$1,230 per ounce mark while the Australian dollar is fetching US76.24 cents.

Carsales.Com Ltd (ASX: CAR) has delivered its half-year earnings report, reporting a 7% lift in revenue but an 8% decline in net profit.

REIT BWP Trust (ASX: BWP) also reported its results. Revenue rose 1% for the six months to December 2016 while its profits before gains on investment properties was 4% higher for the period.

Cimic Group Ltd (ASX: CIM), whose share price rose 3.3% on Tuesday, also reported a net profit of $580.3 million for the full-year, which represented an 11.5% gain that was at the top end of guidance provided by management.

Mining giant Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) is also expected to report its results after the market closes this afternoon.

Meanwhile, Ardent Leisure Group (ASX: AAD) showed how the Dreamworld tragedy had impacted attendance at its theme parks. In a note to investors, the entertainment business said that the Theme Parks division recorded revenue of just under $7 million during January, down more than 50% on the prior corresponding period.

Other shares that will likely be in focus today include Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) and Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE). Shares of Transurban soared on Tuesday following an encouraging earnings update while Mobile Embrace lost almost half their value following its own business update.

Before getting started on your day, be sure to check out these two articles:

1. 2 explosive growth stocks to buy today
2. The Dividend Opportunity Nobody Is Talking About

The post ASX 200 to drift on Wednesday: 7 shares you need to watch today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Local shares effectively reversed yesterday's decline with an afternoon flurry today.

Here's a quick recap:

• S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) up 0.1% to 5621 points
• ALL ORDINARIES (Index: ^AXAO) (ASX: XAO) up 0.1% to 5672 points
• AUD/USD at US 76.71 cents
• Iron Ore at US$80.60 a tonne, according to the Metal Bulletin
• Gold at US$1,232.71 an ounce
• Brent oil at US$55.85 a barrel

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) shot the lights out with its earnings update today, sending the share price rocketing 6.4% higher.

The gold miners were on fire as well after a sharp rise in the gold price. St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) soared 4.9%, Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) gained 3.9% and EVOLUTION FPO (ASX: EVN) gained 4.4%.

Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA) also rose 2.5%.

Unfortunately, there were a number of blue chip businesses which acted as a drag on the broader market

Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) fell 1.4% after its earnings update, with Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) down 0.3% and 1.4%, as well.

Meanwhile, Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) was one of the biggest losers for the day. Its shares were hammered 46.7% after a disappointing market update this morning.

Here are Tuesday's top stories:

1. Got a spare $10,000? I would invest it in these 3 growth shares
2. Results just in: Transurban Group shoot the lights out
3. 3 dividend shares I'd buy with $30,000 today

The post ASX 200 rebounds on Tuesday: 9 shares you should have been watching appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX:XJO) is trading firmly in negative territory ahead of the RBA's first rate decision of the year. At lunchtime, the benchmark index has broken under 5,600 points and is trading 0.44% lower to 5,590 points.

The biggest drags on the market today have come from the financials and consumer discretionary sectors with some support coming from the gold and industrials sectors.

Four shares that have been under serious selling pressure today include:

Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG)

Shares of Macquarie have slid more than 3% today after the company provided a fairly subdued December quarterly update. Trading conditions across the group were described as 'satisfactory' and management expects full-year earnings will be broadly in line with last year's result. Although some analysts were hoping for an earnings surprise this quarter, the investment bank remains well placed to grow strongly over the medium-term.

Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE)

Shares of Mobile Embrace have been wiped out today after the mobile payments company announced another profit downgrade. The company has blamed a range of external factors on the earnings downgrade that will see first-half EBITDA fall by around 50%. Investors haven't wasted time punishing Mobile Embrace with the shares trading 49% lower to just 6.9 cents.

InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC)

Shares of InvoCare have shed around 3% of their value today after the funerals company announced that it will be exiting its U.S. start-up business. The company has struggled to gain any traction since it entered the highly competitive market nearly two years ago and conceded it was unlikely to break-even by its mid-2018 target date. Investors will now be keen to see if InvoCare pivots towards a new growth strategy.

Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL)

Shares of Sonic Healthcare have dropped nearly 2% today, despite announcing that it has entered into two partnerships with major hospital systems in the U.S. On the surface this appears to be good news, but since the financial details of the arrangements are to remain confidential, some investors may be questioning whether or not these partnerships are actually in the best interest of Sonic. Nonetheless, both joint ventures are expected to become effective from April 2017.

The post Why these 4 shares have been clobbered today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Mobile payments and commerce company Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) joined the tech-wreck club today after its shares lost one third of their value after it issued a full year profit warning.

The stock has now lost around 75% of its value over just the last six months as its management team's forecasts fail to meet up to expectations.

The group is now expecting EBITDA of $2.1 million on revenues of $27.1 million for the half year ending December 31 2016, which would means EBITDA has nearly collapsed in half compared to the prior corresponding period (pcp).

The group is now also "forecasting" full year EBITDA between $5 million to $6 million on estimated revenues of $52 million. Evidently this would mean a flat to weaker second half of the year and it's no surprise the stock has been whacked given management's troubles in meeting their forecasts.

The group is blaming the first half troubles and outlook for a soft second half as being in part due to its direct carrier billing (DCB) activities being delayed by "external factors" that "will extend the return on investment timeline for international market activities to move into profit".

Management stating that the consequent reduction in the DCB marketing spend may lop $13 million off FY 2017's previously estimated revenues, but on the upside the decision to reduce DCB investments will help preserve cash.

The company also reassured investors over the strength of its balance sheet by stating that it "forecasts" it will have $12 million cash at the bank as at June 30 2017.

Despite its promise on the surface, Mobile Embrace was never a company I was keen on and with the stock down 36% in trade today it appears management's excuses are not going to wash with investors either.

Mobile Embrace now joins an unfortunate club of junior tech-wreck companies I wrote about yesterday in failing to meet management's overly-ambitious profit forecasts.

In fact it seems the tech-wreck club is now getting full, as yesterday I wrote about Senetas Corporation Limited's (ASX: SEN) profit downgrade, as it joined others in this growing club including, among others, 1-Page Limited (ASX: 1PG), GBST Holdings Limited (ASX: GBT), Aconex Ltd (ASX: ACX) and Urbanise. Com Ltd (ASX: UBN).

The post Why the Mobile Embrace Limited share price is getting smashed today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Despite enjoying a nice 'Trump' and 'Santa' rally for most of December, 2016 has nonetheless been an extremely volatile year for share market investors.

Unsurprisingly, a number of very popular shares have been hit pretty hard over the course of the year as they failed to live up to market expectations.

Since I highlighted some of the best performing shares yesterday, I thought it would only be fair to highlight some of 2016's biggest losers today.

Here they are:

While this is a pretty sorry looking list of shares, it does highlight the importance of diversification when it comes to investing in the share market.

Although it is nearly impossible to avoid owning one or two losers each year, a well diversified portfolio will ultimately help you to limit your downside risk should a particular share lose 30%, 40% or 50% — sometimes in a single day.

In any case, shareholders who own any of those shares today must ask themselves if the shares are likely to make a meaningful recovery or are there better options elsewhere?

Personally, I wouldn't be rushing out to buy any of those shares right now as there does not appear to be an easy path to recovery for any of them.

With that said, Sirtex Medical, Mobile Embrace and Touchcorp remain good candidates as 'turnaround plays' and I would happily keep them on my list of shares to watch in 2017.

The post 15 shares you should have avoided in 2016 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) has followed the lead of international markets and in afternoon trade is lower by 0.1% to 5,677 points.

Despite this a number of shares have gone against the grain and pushed higher. The following six shares stood out with noticeably strong gains. Here's why:

Audio Pixels Holdings Ltd (ASX: AKP) has bounced back from yesterday's savage sell-off with a 6% jump to $14.00. On Wednesday the Israel-based digital speaker developer revealed that the performance of its revolutionary loudspeaker chip didn't reach certain critical objectives required for its commercialised product. This led to its shares falling a whopping 34%.

Capilano Honey Ltd (ASX: CZZ) shares have jumped 4% to $16.70 despite there being no notable news from the company this month. I've tipped the leading honey producer to have a big 2017 thanks to the launch of its Beeotic prebiotic honey range and continued growth in the China market. At just over 14x full year earnings I believe it could prove to be a bargain buy.

Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) shares have rocketed 12% higher to 14 cents despite there being no news out of the mobile commerce company. Despite today's gain its shares are still down 63% in 2016 thanks largely to a 50% drop in its share price in November. That decline was a result of a downgrade to its full year earnings guidance following tough trading conditions domestically. I think the company has enormous potential, but I'd suggest investors hold off until it shows signs of improvement.

OceanaGold Corporation (ASX: OGC) shares have surged higher by 9% to $3.94 as the gold price continued to edge higher. At the time of writing the spot gold price fetched US$1,147 an ounce. Fellow gold miners Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) and EVOLUTION FPO (ASX: EVN) have also put on strong gains of over 3% and 4% respectively.

The post Why these 6 ASX shares have stormed higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

On Saturday, the Fairfax Press revealed that after 18 months of underperformance compared to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), Australian blue chip stocks have finally outperformed the broader index since October after Donald Trump's election victory.

Although the demise of once high-flying-growth stocks Bellamy's Australia Ltd (ASX: BAL) and Vocus Communications Limited (ASX: VOC) hasn't helped the broader index's cause, leading investment bank Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) attributes the outperformance amongst the S&P/ASX 20 Index (ASX: XTL) to a strong rebound in miners BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO), and rotation into inflation sensitive companies like insurer QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE).

Whilst Macquarie is optimistic that this outperformance can continue into 2017, I believe investors looking for blockbuster returns need to venture outside the ASX 200 and turn to small caps.

Afterpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: AFY) and Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) are two small stocks which are on my radar.

Afterpay

Afterpay is arguably the ASX's most promising fintech stock, doubling from its list price of $1.30 in just over six months. The company operates in the lucrative payments industry, offering users the chance to purchase items in-store or online and pay for them later in four equal fortnightly instalments.

Since listing in May, Afterpay has continued its staggering growth by signing more and more retail merchants. As at 31 September 2016, Afterpay had increased its retail merchant base by 166% on prior year, and based on its latest addition — listed retail conglomerate Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL) early last week – it's showing no signs of slowing.

This makes Afterpay definitely one to watch.

Mobile Embrace

Keeping with the payment disruptor theme, Mobile Embrace is another hot fintech stock which operates in the mobile advertising and payments space. Coming off a strong 2016 financial year, Mobile Embrace's shares fell off a cliff after management revealed changes to Australia's telco carrier billings will affect the company's ability to acquire new advertising customers.

Though the changes will have a significant impact on earnings, Mobile Embrace still expects full year earnings to be in excess of $8 million, down from $9.5 million in 2016. Whilst this is a negative for shareholders, I believe the current price of its shares undervalue the company's international network and scalability.

Therefore, I think the company is worth a second look at current prices.

Foolish takeaway

Both Afterpay and Mobile Embrace are speculative stocks which offer the potential for 10-fold gains, but carry substantial risk. Investors looking to earn stable returns should stick to blue-chip stalwarts which demonstrate resilience in all economic cycles.

However, those with more appetite for risk should add Afterpay and Mobile Embrace to their watch list.

The post 2 small fintech stocks I know with blockbuster potential appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Management consultant and accountant Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu has named Australia's fastest-growing tech companies with several ASX members on the roll call and some future IPO candidates at the top of the list.

The top three are privately held startups Cashrewards, MoneyMe Finanical Group and OpenMarkets Australia.

The winner Cashrewards delivered blockbuster growth of 12,496% over the past three-year recorded period as it thumps the competition in the online shopping space as retailers pay to advertise on its site and Cashrewards then deposits cash back direct to shoppers' bank accounts when they buy goods from the retailers.

Many of the other businesses are in the fintech space with the shift to the cashless society a mega-trend that startups continue to leverage with consumer or business lending startups like MoneyMe and Prospa IPO candidates in the years ahead.

Public companies

Investors will be more interested in those listed on the ASX, with the usual suspects featuring prominently. Let's take a look at them in ascending order.

Ranked 50 – Freelancer Ltd (ASX: FLN) runs the eponymous website that connects employers to freelance workers to complete temporary jobs commonly in the digital space such as website design, SEO optimisation or social media promotion. At the heart of the digital economy Freelancer has an attractive outlook, but faces competition from the likes of U.S. giant Upwork. The stock has fallen back to $1.01 recently as the market worries over the performance of its Escrow.com acquisition.

Ranked 42 – Class Ltd (ASX: CL1) is a fintech business sitting in the growth sweet spot of superannuation and the ageing population as it provides software for SMSFs to manage their portfolios. Deloitte records its three-year growth rate as 128% and the stock has more than doubled in value in less than a year on the ASX boards.

Ranked 39 – Redbubble Ltd (ASX: RBL) is the Melbourne-based website operator that actually earns most of its revenues and profits in North America and Europe. It sells personalised accessories and clothing designed by artists for bohemians and fashion fans looking for alternatives to the egregious consumption of the mainstream. Deloitte records its three-year growth rate at 136%, although the stock has struggled to attract buyers since listing and could be good value at 84 cents.

Ranked 38 – Empired Ltd (ASX: EPD) is the IT services business that Deloitte clocks at posting a 140% three-year growth rate. That's impressive given IT services is a competitive space where fixed staff costs can be high and any business spending downturns may result in profit falls.

Ranked 33 – Bulletproof Group Ltd (ASX: BPF) is another IT services firm heavily involved in the cloud services space with Deloitte recording its three-year growth at 158%. Similarly to Empired these businesses tend to perform well when the going is good, but can struggle if demand for their services turns down due to the relatively high fixed costs.

Ranked 30 – MNF Group Ltd (ASX: MNF) is the voice over internet and broadband services startup that is now attempting to expand overseas. Led by founder and tech wizard Rene Sugo it retains a strong balance sheet, margin-expanding growth horizons and an entrepreneurial verve that makes it an exciting prospect.

Ranked 24 – Mobile Embrace Ltd (ASX: MBE) has a mixed track record as a public company and recently saw its value almost collapse in half after flagging some issues with is Australian telco carrier billing operations. Despite the track record of historical growth it may be one to watch from the sidelines.

Ranked 11 – Vocus Communications Limited (ASX: VOC) has delivered growth of 805% over the past three years according to Deloitte and much of this will be due to its merger and acquisition strategy. Vocus shares have pulled back to $5.40 recently as investors worry over the impact of the NBN, although in my opinion the stock looks good value at these levels. It will hold its AGM on November 29.

Ranked 5 – Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB) has delivered three-year growth of 1,248% and the stock has more than quadrupled in value over the period to a record high of $5.75. It provides superannuation or investment platforms and was the subject of a takeover approach from IOOF Holdings Limited (ASX: IFL) in 2015. It remains a takeover candidate given the large number of financial services players that must be keen on its assets and growth potential.

The post Deloitte names Australia's 50 fastest-growing tech companies appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.