The SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) share price is having a rocky day on the market despite the company announcing record sales in a trading update today.

Despite the sales boost, shares in the dental manufacturer dropped as low as 16% before rebounding in early afternoon trade

At the time of writing, the SDI share price is down 10.19% at 92.5 cents apiece.

Resumption in dental work a key driver of sales

Today's trading update announced a 26% increase in unaudited global sales for the six months ending 31 December 2021 to $46.2 million.

That compares to $36.8 million in sales for the same period last year and represents a record first-half performance for the company.

SDI believes the resumption of normal trading conditions last year were a key driver of the sales increase, with the exception of the New South Wales and Victorian markets due to their extended COVID-19 lockdowns.

But the company reported it has been affected by higher logistics costs in the first six months of FY22 due to the disruption in global freight activities. SDI says this has impacted gross product margins by 7%.

Despite strong sales in its Australian direct exports and in Brazil, up 65% and 66% respectively, these are lower margin regions for the company.

Overall, total gross product margins for the first half of FY22 fell by 12% to 53%, compared to 65% for the prior corresponding period.

It seems investors reacted negatively to news of an expected fall in net profit. SDI reported its net profit (after tax) for the period will be between $2.5 to $3 million, compared to $4.6 million for the same time the year prior.

The company's half-year results will be released on 17 February.

SDI is a Victorian-based manufacturer of specialised dental equipment sold in more than 100 countries.

SDI share price snapshot

Over the last 12 months, the SDI share price has increased by 26% although it has dropped almost 10% in the past month.

The company has a market capitalisation of $112 million and a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 21.11.

The post Why the SDI (ASX:SDI) share price is falling 10% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are sinking:

ARB Corporation Limited (ASX: ARB)

The ARB share price is down 12% to $46.61. Investors have been selling the 4×4 parts company's shares after it was downgraded by analysts at Credit Suisse. According to the note, Credit Suisse has downgraded its rating to underperform with a price target of $38.00. While the broker is predicting a strong result in February, it expects margin pressure and slower growth thereafter.

Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING)

The Inghams share price is down 6% to $3.31. This follows the release of a disappointing trading update this morning. According to the release, the poultry producer revealed that COVID-19 and elevated feed costs are impacting its performance. Management also warned that it is not currently possible to predict how long this disruption will continue.

James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX)

The James Hardie share price is down 3% to $49.37. This decline may have been driven by a broker note out of Morgan Stanley. Its analysts have downgraded the company's shares to an equal weight rating and cut the price target on them to $58.00. The broker made the move in response to the surprise exit of its CEO and slowing US housing.

SDI Limited (ASX: SDI)

The SDI share price has tumbled 10% to 92.5 cents following the release of a trading update out of the dental products company. While SDI expects to report a 26% increase in half year revenue to $46.2 million, it warned that its margins have been impacted by supply chain issues. As a result, first half net profit is only expected to be between $2.5 million and $3 million. This is down from $4.6 million a year earlier.

The post Why ARB, Inghams, James Hardie, and SDI shares are sinking appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Health Care index (ASX: XHJ) pared its October gains in November. The index went from 2.62% up in October to a slight 0.11% fall over November to 46,299 points.

However, ASX healthcare shares did outperform the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which fell 1.56% over November as the market continued to grapple with the latest COVID-19 reopening challenges.

Despite the weakness of the broad healthcare sector last month, several companies pushed well ahead of the pack.

Here are the top 5 performing ASX healthcare shares for November.

Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL)

After a poor start to the month, shares in ASX healthcare giant Sonic Healthcare finished the month 7% in the green.

Early in November, Sonic's share price took a nosedive and sunk to a 2-month low of $38.51.

However, investors began piling back into Sonic after it released its Q1 FY22 trading update. In the release, the company revealed revenue growth of 5% year-on-year (YoY) to $3.08 billion and EBITDA came in 16% higher.

Robust demand for Covid-19 tests and vaccinations bumped the company's sales and earnings during the quarter. These trends look set to continue into CY22, according to expert commentary.

These figures were a positive surprise for the market, as many analysts were banking on Sonic's revenue declining in FY22.

As such, investors bought in at the lows and drove the Sonic share price north to finish the month at $42.70.

Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME)

Pro Medicus shares started catching bids in late October and the momentum continued for the next few weeks. The company finished 17% in the green last month after its share price charged north with authority from the get-go.

Investors appeared to view Pro Medicus' annual report in a positive light. The company reiterated its FY21 earnings results in more detail. It was a successful period and the company secured multiple contract wins during the year.

As a result, 9 out of the 20 leading hospitals in the US are now using the Pro Medicus Visage-7 imaging platform.

Pro Medicus anticipates it will secure additional contracts in FY22 and will continue rolling out its Visage RIS platform. In addition, cash flow from several contracts already secured is set to be realised this coming year. The company expects that this will drive growth at its top and bottom lines.

After shooting off a low of $53.28 on 1 November, Pro Medicus shares finished the month at $62.48. This netted shareholders a tidy $9.20 per share profit for the month.

Incannex Healthcare Ltd (ASX: IHL)

Shares in the medicinal cannabinoid company gained 41% in November.

A slew of positive catalysts bolstered the Incannex share price — mainly clinical trial approvals and the company's quarterly activities report released in late October.

For example, an ethics committee has approved its Phase 2a clinical trial examining the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in primary anxiety disorder.

Psychedelics like psilocybin are gaining traction within medicinal circles as a front-line treatment for many mental illnesses. This is largely due to their non-invasive nature and excellent treatment results.

In its activities report, Incannex told the ASX it has successfully raised $17.66 million from an option exercise program.

Investors piled into the company after these updates and sent its share price soaring from a low of 40.5 cents to 57 cents at the closing bell on 30 November.

SDI Limited (ASX: SDI)

Shares in SDI, a supplier of dental restoration materials, gained 10% during November. This netted shareholders a 10 cents per share gain.

Investors responded positively to SDI's AGM mid-month, where the company gave a high-level view of its operations across the financial year.

SDI noted it had paid total dividends of 3.15 cents per share last year, up 70% on the prior corresponding period.

SDI also highlighted several product launches in its whitening and glass ionomer division and said it is focused on investing in research and development.

After a jagged start to the month, the SDI share price took off from $1.01 on 12 November to finish the month at $1.10.

In the past 12 months, SDI shareholders have enjoyed a 37% return to date.

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp Ltd (ASX: FPH)

Despite it being a quiet month on the news front, shares in Fisher & Paykel still climbed 8% during November.

Fisher & Paykel shares traded as low as $29.42 early on in the month before going as high as $32.30 at the close on 25 November. Investors then sold off their positions and the share price finished the month at $31.58.

One key takeout for the period was the company's half-year results released on 25 November. Fisher & Paykel outlined it had suffered a slight down-step in revenue and earnings due to pressures on hospitals and patient turnover from the pandemic.

Despite this, consumables revenue came in 8% higher and formed the bolus of total sales. The company's home care division also grew during the first half.

Despite the share price growth in November, it's been a challenging year for Fisher & Paykal investors. Their positions are down almost 5% since this time last year.

The post These were the 5 best performing ASX healthcare shares in November appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) finished up 0.17% at 7,392 points after spending most of the week in the red.

Even with the gain, three ASX health care shares stood out today, with each posting returns that outpaced the market.

Here is the rundown on what happened with each today.

Trajan Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: TRJ)

Shares in global analytical science and device company Trajan Group jumped over 8% today and finished near an all-time high.

Investors bought into the company's shares after it announced it had completed the acquisition of German company Axel Semrau overnight.

The company completed the deal on a consideration of 17 million euros. This gives the company further exposure to the European markets.

The Axel Semrau company manufactures laboratory automation and chromatography software and detection systems. The company reported FY21 (year ended Sept 2021) revenues of 14.9 million euros and EBITDA of 1.46 million euros.

Trajan shares traded as high as 8% late in the session today, after climbing gradually from the open.

Early investors have been rewarded with their holdings in Trajan Group. Its share price has gained over 105% since listing in early July.

SDI Limited (ASX: SDI)

Shares in supplier of dental restoration materials SDI traded as much as 7% higher before dumping just before the closing bell today.

At market close, SDI's shares are fetching $1.07 apiece and are up only 1.90%. They were on the move as Investors responded positively to the company's AGM release today.

In its address, the company's chairman Jeffery Cheetham gave an overview of the company's operations for the year. He also addressed how the firm has created value for its shareholders in that time.

For instance, SDI declared a final dividend of 1.65 cents per share on top of its interim dividend of 1.5 cents per share. Combined, this signified a 70.3% growth in the dividend payout ratio from the previous year.

SDI also launched several new products in its whitening and glass ionomer range and continues to invest in research development, as per its report.

The SDI share price has gained over 31% in the past 12 months after rallying another 36% this year to date.

Bcal Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: BDX)

Shares in Bcal Diagnostics hit an intraday high of 15.2 cents in early trade today and held course until the finish.

The gains are a welcomed turn for Bcal shareholders, who have lost 39% in the past few months since the company listed.

There wasn't any price-sensitive news out of Bcal's camp today, however, its share price has been on the downward slope for the last few weeks.

But, the company did release trial results for its BCAL test early in the month. That data readout supported and reinforced previous studies conducted by the company.

Bcal advised its BCAL test showed positive results in samples obtained from a recent Cohort 4 test. The company is now seeking to further refine its BCAL algorithm and biomarker development.

Investors have bought in at the lows today and volume is about 50% of the company's 4-week average volume for number of shares traded.

ASX health care shares have done well across the board today as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) finished up around 1%, after gaining more than 6% in the past month, indicating strengths across the broad sector.

The post 3 ASX health care shares that outpaced the market on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in dental materials company SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) have been among the standout performers on the ASX so far in 2021. The SDI share price has climbed almost 40% year to date according to Google Finance, to $1.07 at yesterday's close.

The impressive gains are on the back of a huge jump in net profit this financial year. This is a sign that many jurisdictions in which the company operates are beginning to rebound from COVID-19.

Company background

SDI (which stands for Southern Dental Industries) develops specialist products for the dental industry. This includes teeth whitening equipment, adhesives and cements, and composite materials used for fillings, tooth repair and restoration.

SDI was founded in Victoria back in 1972, and the company still manufactures its products there. However, it has now grown into a company with a global reach, selling its products in over 100 countries. It also now has international offices and warehouses located in the United States, Germany and Brazil.

Recent financials

SDI released its FY21 financial results to the market on 20 August. SDI reported sales of $81.6 million in FY21, a year-on-year jump of more than 21%. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation expenses (EBITDA) jumped almost 72%. While net profit after tax (NPAT) rocketed 111% higher (to $8.9 million).

Most of the sales growth came from overseas markets. North American sales were up almost 40% and European sales up a little over 35% (in Australian dollar terms). By comparison, Australian sales (including direct exports) only increased 4.1% year on year. This shows how the relative easing of pandemic restrictions has affected sales across the different regions.

SDI CEO Samantha Cheetham commented on the result:

Throughout this year, the restrictions in many markets began to be eased and we saw a gradual opening up of dental practices. The initial pent-up demand we have spoken about was evident and, as we ended the financial year with many regions operating closer to normal, we have seen steady increases with new products releases key to our momentum as we exited the financial year.

The company also ended the financial year with a relatively healthy balance sheet. It reported net cash of $10.6 million and no debt.

Recent moves in the SDI share price

The SDI share price really started to gather some steam at the beginning of May, after the company released a trading update for FY21. The company said that it was seeing a return to more normal conditions in many of its overseas markets and estimated that after-tax profit would be in the range of $7.5 million to $8.5 million.

There was a further big jump in the share price at the beginning of August. Perhaps some analysts began to suspect SDI might exceed its own earnings estimates, particularly as the US and the UK markets continued to open up. Since the beginning of August, the SDI share price has risen almost 20%.

It is worth noting that SDI only has a market capitalisation of a touch over $125 million, which makes it a very risky investment. However, SDI is at least posting a profit – something which big-name market darlings like Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) have yet to do.

The post Here's why the SDI (ASX:SDI) share price is up almost 40% this year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In afternoon trade the S&P/ASX 200 index is on course to end the week on a positive note. At the time of writing the benchmark index is up 0.15% to 7,114.1 points.

Four shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are ending the week on a high:

The AMP Limited (ASX: AMP) share price is up 3.5% to $1.88. The catalyst for this solid gain appears to be a positive broker note out of Credit Suisse this morning. According to the note, the broker has retained its outperform rating and $2.00 price target on its shares following its FY 2019 result.

The Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) share price is up 2.5% to $73.38. Investors have been buying the fund manager's shares following the release of its half year results on Thursday. Magellan reported a 29% increase in average funds under management to $92.8 billion and a 23% jump in adjusted net profit after tax to $216.8 million.

The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price has climbed 2.5% to $27.13. The banking giant's shares have been strong performers this week following the release of its first quarter update. NAB delivered a 1% increase in cash earnings during the quarter thanks to improvements in its net interest margin. A number of brokers responded positively to its first quarter update. One of those was Citi. It has retained its buy rating and $30.50 price target on the bank's shares.

The SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) share price has jumped 8% to 94 cents. This morning the dental products company released its half year results and revealed a record profit. Thanks to a combination of solid sales growth and margin improvement, SDI reported an 11.9% increase in profit to $3.5 million. Its Aesthetics and Whitening products were the key drivers of its growth.

The post Why AMP, Magellan, NAB, & SDI shares are ending the week on a high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here's a short recap of the Australian market:

• S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) higher 0.50% to 6,724.60
• ALL ORDINARIES (Index: ^AXAO) (ASX: XAO) higher 0.46% to 6,812.50
• AUD/USD at US 70 cents
• Gold at US$1,417.56 an ounce
• Brent Oil at US$63.61 a barrel

The best-performing ASX 200 share today was the share price of Bellamy's Australia Ltd (ASX: BAL) which went up 4.9%.

The Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (ASX: APT) share price increased by 4.3% today, in a strong day for the buy now, pay later sector. Indeed, the Splitit Ltd (ASX: SPT) share price increased by 15.5% after yesterday's new agreement news.

The share price of OZ Minerals Limited (ASX: OZL) grew by 1.2% after releasing its June 2019 quarter report.

The Kogan.Com Ltd (ASX: KGN) share price has gone up 4.8% after giving a business update for the final quarter of FY19.

The share price SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) fell almost 3% due to its trading update for June 2019.

Healthcare business Somnomed Limited (ASX: SOM) saw its share price soar by 16% as it released its June 2019 update.

Finally, the share price of Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) dropped 1.2% as the gold miner issued its quarterly activities report.

Here are some of today's top stories:    

• 3 ASX income shares raising their dividends like clockwork
• Rio Tinto to become world's largest iron ore exporter, time to buy shares?
• Warning: These 5 shares are being heavily shorted
• Sydney and Melbourne house prices are going higher again

The post ALL ORDINARIES finishes higher Tuesday: 8 shares you missed appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

• Revenue of $30 million, up 7.1%
• Revenue less amount retained by self-employed dentists $20.5 million
• EBITDA $7.1 million, up 5.7%
• Net profit of $4.1 million, up 4.3%
• Earnings per share of 17.3 cents
• Fully franked dividend of 12.5 cents per share, up 4.2%
• Bank debt of $4.4 million

This is a typically solid result of mid-single-digit growth from this dental business aggregator that has an acquisitive and organic growth strategy.

The benefits of having a founder with a heavy shareholding running the business means the group is not likely to stretch its balance sheet with too much debt, or to chase growth for growth's sake.

This founder-led long-term approach is reflected by a share price that has grown from $1 in March 2005 to $6.12 today in addition to paying some consistent dividends along the way.

The company is Queensland focused and flagged that 7 of its 32 dental practices are in the flood hit town of Townsville, although management affirmed that this will only prove a minor hiccup if anything.

The CEO also flagged that he expects the business will soon announce the acquisition of several larger dental practices to add $6.5 million in additional revenue and a "contribution to EBITDA commensurate with the expected increase to revenue".

The business has now grown into a market value around $132 million so is still a small cap, which means for any interested investors it has plenty of room to grow.

Other businesses in the sector include rival dental roll up Pacific Smiles Group Ltd (ASX: PSQ) and dental parts supplier SDI Limited (ASX: SDI).

The post Why the 1300 Smiles share price looks on an upward trajectory appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Victoria-based SDI sells its dental materials such as amalgam, aesthetic and whitening products, with the company exporting more than 90% of its products overseas for distribution to more than 100 countries.

In FY 2018 it grew net profit 1.5% to $5.7 million, with its second half profit up 27% on the prior corresponding half-year period.

It's the momentum of improving sales over the second half that is probably encouraging investors to bid the stock higher as it transitions from an amalgam company more into the whitening and aesthetics space.

It paid dividends totalling 2.5 cents per share over FY 2018 on 4.8 cents in earnings per share over the year. As such it offers a trailing yield of 3.9% on a price-to-earnings multiple of 13.3.

The post Why the SDI share price just hit a 52-week high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The three small cap shares listed below have defied the market and are on course to finish the week on a high. Here's why:

The Biotron Limited (ASX: BIT) share price is up 6% to 25 cents. This gain means the drug development company's shares have surged 150% since this time last week. The driver of this gain has been news that its BIT225-009 HIV-1 Phase 2 data will be presented at an upcoming event in the United States. Investors may believe that this event will bring Biotron onto the radar of pharmaceutical companies that are looking for potential acquisition targets. In its trials, the company's BIT225 drug has had a unique effect in patients, over and above viral suppression seen with current antiretroviral drugs.

The Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (ASX: LNG) share price has pushed 6% higher to 49.3 cents. Investors appear to have responded positively to the LNG producer's update at its annual general meeting yesterday. Management remains very positive on the company's prospects and believes it is well positioned to benefit from the significant need for new LNG supply to meet the projected demand growth over the next decade. In addition to this, it believes its Magnolia project has competitive advantages including a mature regulatory and cost status, project delivery expertise, and a multi-faceted marketing strategy and contracting approach.

The SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) share price has climbed over 4% to 60 cents on the day of its annual general meeting. At the event the dental materials company revealed that it has had a positive start to FY 2019. Management advised that sales have continued to grow in the first half and are ahead of the prior corresponding period. This appears to have been driven by Whitening and Aesthetics sales which are growing faster than market.

The post These small cap ASX shares are ending the week on a high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Sales increased by 0.5% to $74.5 million in Australian dollar terms. SDI exports around 90% of its products, when adjusting for currency sales increased by 0.6%.

Pleasingly, SDI's best region for sales delivered strong growth, Europe sales increased by 9% to $27.9 million. Aesthetics sales grew by 9.3% in local currency terms, it now makes up 38.9% of totals. This is offsetting the continuing trend of declining sales of Amalgam, which fell 12.7% in local currency terms during FY18.

The gross profit margin increased by 110 basis points, or 1.1%, to 61.1% from 60% in the previous year. This was partly due to product & market sales mix as well as improving economies of scale. Its leaner manufacturing process is expected to deliver $1.1 million of annualised savings.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) decreased by 2.8% to $12.1 million. Operating cash flow increased by an impressive 20% to $11.3 million.

Net profit before tax (NPBT) decreased by 0.6% to $8.1 million and net profit after tax (NPAT) increased by 1.5% to $5.7 million.

Earnings per share (EPS) increased by 1.5% to 4.76 cents and the FY18 dividend was increased to 2.5 cents, which represented growth of 8.7%. The dividend payout ratio for FY18 is a healthy 52.5%.

The balance sheet is in a much stronger position than it was a year ago. Borrowings decreased by $1.9 million to $2.2 million and cash increased by $2.4 million to $8.2 million. Inventories decreased by $2.6 million due to continued improvements in inventory management thanks to better manufacturing processes and higher than expected sales in May and June.

The company has released a number of products recently and is aiming for one to two new products per year to drive growth. It's concentrating on categories that deliver high sales margins.

Foolish takeaway

It's currently trading at under 11x FY18's earnings with a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.1%. SDI looks like a solid business that is cheap, has a good balance sheet and has an attractive yield.

The company thinks that it has good growth ahead as quality dental hygiene demand grows in emerging markets.

I'd be happy to buy a small parcel at the pre-open price of $0.50.

The post Is this small cap's 7.1% dividend yield too good to ignore? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It's likely our ageing population is partly to thank for solid performances in the healthcare realm, but strong players have also asserted themselves by making the best of regulatory changes and the uptake of new technologies. 

Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC)

Ramsay Health Care Limited operates 221 hospitals and 14 day surgery centres across Australia, the UK, France, Indonesia, Malaysia and Italy. 

Ramsay opened on February 8 marginally down at $66.05 – and has been hovering just under $70 per share for some time.

Overall, Ramsay seems quite expensive, but it's for good reason. 

Ramsay has made several sound business decisions in recent times, managing to increase its share of the private hospital sector little by little and has been touted as the country's "most recession-proof" stock more than once. 

While declining private health insurance participation rates could be an issue in the long term, Ramsay will still flourish from rising elective surgery rates. 

Analysts have slapped a neutral rating on Ramsay for now, but still price the stock at a $71.60 target. 

All eyes will be on the global health services provider when it hands down its interim results on February 28. 

SDI Limited (ASX: SDI)

Dental materials research and development company SDI Limited is making a name for itself across the US, Germany, Ireland and Brazil for its Australian-manufactured amalgam composite materials. 

SDI Limited opened down on February 8 at 59c per share, but has recovered quickly following a less-than-favourable trading update which saw sales slump 2.2% or $33.6 million lower than expectations. 

But SDI may have been overlooked by investors to this point, and on paper appears to have some solid growth strategies in place to propel the company forward in the next few years. 

Its managed to steadily grow revenues without the use of acquisitions and could be less dependent on commodity markets as time goes on if its investment into glass ionomer and non-silver restoratives takes off as expected. 

A healthcare small cap to watch.

Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL)

Sonic Healthcare Limited is a medical diagnostics company with international laboratory, pathology and radiology services. 

Investors who took a punt on Sonic have been rewarded with a steady upward trend in share price over the last few years with the stock up 1.6% to $24.78 on February 8. 

Sonic had a good year on the market throughout 2017, booking record sales of $5.1 billion after a period of expansion and no disruptions from regulatory bodies. 

Sonic's largest division is its laboratory operations in Australia, giving the company a good home-grown approach for investors and there are not expected to be any nasty surprises when Sonic hands down its half-year results on February 15. 

ResMed Inc. (CHESS) (ASX: RMD)

As one of Australia's best performing healthcare stocks over the last decade, ResMed Inc is an international company with popular products for respiratory disorders such as sleep apnoea. 

A quick view of ResMed's historical share price charts is pleasing to the eye, with the stock rising steadily since 2012 and any indication of short term weakness quickly corrected. 

ResMed Inc opened down 0.2% to $11.74 today, but is still up 23% since the same time last year. 

ResMed is well-established and has been insulated from broader socio-economic factors in the past few years as the company maintained a firm focus on new technology, with the 2016 US$800 million strategic acquisition of clinical software company Brightree proving to be a good buy. 

RedMed has kept its nose clean when compared to healthcare peers like Primary Health Care Limited (ASX: PRY) which is recently alleged to have fudged its books.

The post Why these healthcare shares could be good medicine for your portfolio  appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four shares that have failed to follow the market higher are listed below. Here's why they are ending the week in the red:

The Buddy Platform Ltd (ASX: BUD) share price has fallen 4% to 24 cents. With no news out of the Internet of Things company, I suspect today's decline could be down to profit taking. Prior to today Buddy Platform's shares had climbed 316% since this time last year.

The Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA) share price has dropped 1.5% to 65 cents. Investors appear to be undecided on the aerial imagery company's prospects in the lucrative U.S. market. While progress has been slower than expected in the market, it does represent a huge opportunity for Nearmap.

The SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) share price has plunged 20% to 47.5 cents after the dental products company provided the market with a trading update. SDI advised that sales for the 6 months ending 31 December 2017 are expected to be $33.6 million, 2.2% lower than the prior corresponding period. A sharp decline in Amalgam product sales have weighed heavily on its performance.

The WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) share price is down almost 2% to $14.20. Like Buddy Platform, investors appear to be taking profit after a strong share price gain over the last 12 months. One Motley Fool contributor labelled the logistics platform provider as a sell this morning. You can read why here.

The post Why these 4 ASX shares are ending the week in the red appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In fact, the two shares listed below have just touched on 52-week lows. Here's why these shares are down in the dumps today:

The Freedom Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: FIG) share price has fallen to a 52-week low of 43 cents today. This decline means that the life insurance seller's shares are down 55% from their 52-week high of 97 cents and are closing in fast on their IPO price of 35 cents.

Investors have been heading to the exits since November when it downgraded its first-half EBITDA guidance to between $7.5 million to $9 million. This will be a drop of between 19% and 32% on the prior corresponding period. While I think Freedom Insurance's shares looks quite cheap at the moment after this decline, I would suggest that investors wait for its half-year update to see if the company's performance has improved before investing.

The SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) share price has fallen sharply on Friday and tumbled to a 52-week low of 47%. Unfortunately for its shareholders this means that the dental products provider's shares have lost 33% of their value since this time last year.

This morning SDI Limited provided the market with a trading update which revealed that sales for the 6 months ending 31 December 2017 are expected to be $33.6 million. This will be a decline of 2.2% on the previous corresponding period. General weakness in the dental industry and sizeable decline in Amalgam product sales have played a key role in its overall sales decline. I would urge investors to stay clear of SDI Limited until conditions in the dental industry have improved greatly.

The post These ASX shares have just fallen to 52-week lows appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade the dental centre operator's shares are down 13% to $1.80.

What happened?

This morning Pacific Smiles provided the market with a trading update. As you might have guessed, it wasn't overly positive.

According to the release trading in April and May has been softer than expected. As a result, same centre patient fee growth is at 3.8% year-to-date, compared to its guidance for at least 5%.

Unfortunately the company appears to believe things will get worse before they get better and has revised its full-year same centre patient fee growth guidance to 3%.

Further to this, management has had to downgrade its full-year underlying EBITDA guidance to between $20.4 million and $21 million, from $21.7 million and $23.2 million.

The soft trading appears to be a nationwide trend, with management advising that no single dental centre cohort or geographic region has contributed to the decline.

In light of these weak trading conditions, I wouldn't be surprised to see the shares of rival 1300 Smiles Limited (ASX: ONT) and dental products provider SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) also come under pressure today.

Should you invest?

Even after today's decline Pacific Smiles' shares are changing hands at approximately 27x trailing earnings.

I feel this is quite expensive given the soft trading environment and its current outlook.

Although a long way out still and things are likely to change, management has forecast FY 2018 EBITDA growth of around 10%. In my opinion this isn't sufficient to justify an investment at the current share price.

The post Why the Pacific Smiles Group Ltd share price has been smashed today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four shares in particular which have performed strongly today are as follows:

Apiam Animal Health Ltd (ASX: AHX) shares have rebounded from yesterday's sell off with a 4.5% gain to $1.18. The veterinary products and services company provided investors with a trading update yesterday at its annual general meeting and it's fair to say things have been challenging. Short-term weakness in the beef and dairy industry means first-half revenue and EBITDA are expected to be lower than forecasted. Positively management does expect a stronger second half.

RCG Corporation Ltd (ASX: RCG) shares are up 6.5% to $1.49 after the owner and operator of footwear businesses including The Athlete's Foot and Hype DC held its annual general meeting. Within its presentation management revealed FY 2017 guidance of underlying annualised full year EBITDA of $90 million. Up from $60.4 million in FY 2016, thanks partly to the acquisition of HYPE DC.

SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) shares have jumped 5.5% higher to 78 cents. The dental restorative product manufacturer has suffered big declines this week after revealing weak trading conditions so far in FY 2017. As a result it expects first-half net profit after tax to be in the range of $2 million and $2.5 million, compared with $3 million in the prior corresponding period. Despite this management is optimistic that the second half will be stronger and reaffirmed full year guidance.

Vita Group Limited (ASX: VTG) shares have jumped almost 15% to $3.55 after finally agreeing on new commercial terms with Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) over the retail stores it operates on the latter's behalf. The new agreement will see an increase in the store network and mixed changes to its remuneration. According to the release, whilst Vita expects to see volume improvement this is likely to be offset by some margin compression.

The post Why these 4 ASX shares are ending the week with a bang appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The materials, gold and energy sectors are bearing the brunt of today's selling, with some good support helping the financial and consumer staples sectors.

Four shares that are being heavily punished today, include:

Boral Limited (ASX: BLD)

Boral shares have finally resumed trading today after the building materials company announced a massive $3.5 billion acquisition on Monday. Investors are clearly concerned about the magnitude of the acquisition and this has seen the shares crash more than 17.5% to $5.07. Following today's sharp fall, the shares are now trading only marginally higher than the $4.80 per share retail entitlement offer price.

Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA)

Shares of Nearmap have fallen more than 5.4% today after coming out of a trading halt following a $20 million institutional capital raising. The aerial imaging company also received a lengthy 'please explain' from the ASX following its announcement two days prior that suggested it would not need to undertake a capital raising. This series of events certainly does not reflect well on Nearmap's management, although investors will look past this if the company can deliver on its ambitious US expansion program.

SDI Limited (ASX: SDI)

After falling more than 32% in the final moments of yesterday's session, shares of SDI have fallen another 7% today. The sharp move comes after the dental products company released a disappointing market update that pointed to a decline in first half net profit after tax (NPAT). As a result of unfavourable currency movements, the company now expects NPAT to be in the range of $2 million to $2.5 million, down from $3 million in the first half of FY16. SDI did note that it expects the second half to be materially stronger, although this appears to be dependent on favourable currency movements.

EVOLUTION FPO (ASX: EVN)

Evolution Mining is one of the worst-performing gold shares today after the spot gold price fell below US$1,200/oz overnight. The safe haven asset was highly sought after leading up to the US election, but has since been deserted by investors looking for better returns. In fact, the sector as a whole has lost more than 20% since the US election. Although Evolution Mining shares have lost more than 5% today, they have still managed to gain around 40% since the start of the year.

The post Boral Limited is among 4 shares are being crushed today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here's a quick recap:

• FTSE 100 (UK): down 0.03%
• DAX (Germany): down 0.48%
• CAC 40 (France): down 0.42%
• Dow Jones (USA): up 0.31%
• NASDAQ (USA): down 0.11%

The spot gold price plunged almost 2% to less than US$1,200 an ounce in what is the latest sign of trouble for the sector. Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM), St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM), Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) and EVOLUTION FPO (ASX: EVN) could all come under pressure as a result.

Iron ore, on the other hand, continued to rise which could support BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) and Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG).

Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA) shares remain in suspension under ASX listing rule 17.3. That came after the group announced it was raising capital just two days after it said it didn't need to.

Medical device maker Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp Ltd (ASX: FPH) shares fell sharply on Wednesday and could thus receive some attention from investors today.

There are a number of big-name businesses holding their annual general meetings today. They include SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK), Hansen Technologies Limited (ASX: HSN), Woolworths Limited (ASX: WOW) and South32 Ltd (ASX: S32).

Lithium producer Orocobre Limited (ASX: ORE) announced it has partnered with Canada's Advantage Lithium Corp. to explore and develop its lithium exploration portfolio.

Finally, SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) plummeted in price during yesterday's session following a trading update. Given the announcement occurred in the late stages of the session, the shares will likely receive some attention today as well.

The post ASX 200 to slip: 14 shares you need to watch today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In my opinion the following seven stocks fit into the second category.

Dental chain 1300 Smiles Limited (ASX: ONT) has an excellent track record. It has grown earnings-per-share (EPS) from 9 cents in 2007 to 32.2 cents in 2016. Meanwhile, dividends have increased from 6.8 cents per share to 22.5 cents last year. Despite its strong growth profile, the company has maintained a healthy balance sheet and currently holds $7.5 million in cash and no debt.

The stock has a price-to-earnings ratio (PER) of 23.8 which is reasonable for such a well-run business.

Data#3 Limited (ASX: DTL) is another company with an exemplary management team. As a provider of IT products and services, Data#3 is vulnerable to the business investment cycle but over the long-term it has produced excellent results for shareholders. Dividends per share have risen from 3.6 cents in 2007 to 8 cents last year.

At current prices the stock pays a 5.3% fully franked dividend yield and despite cyclical peaks and troughs I would expect dividends to continue rising over future years.

Financial software company GBST Holdings Limited (ASX: GBT) recorded weak results in 2016 as it transitioned to a new leadership team but has been another strong long-term performer. New CEO Robert DeDominicis has emphasised the need for the company to invest more heavily in R&D which may hold back profits in the short-term but could lead to higher returns later.

The stock trades on a PER of 19 based on adjusted EPS for 2016

Online advertising company Mitula Group Ltd (ASX: MUA) listed in 2015 and operates 79 sites across 49 countries. It is a capital light business with high operating leverage so profits grow faster than revenue and it generates lots of free cash. Many of Mitula's sites are in developing countries which I expect to drive revenue growth over coming years.

Based on my profit estimate for 2016, Mitula currently trades on a PER of 17.

United Overseas Australia Limited (ASX: UOS) has a multi-decade track record of generating superior shareholder returns under the current management team. Unlike many property developers the Malaysia-based company also holds a substantial net cash balance. Despite these qualities, United Overseas trades at a 30% discount to its net tangible assets.

Dental restoratives manufacturer SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) is a family run firm with a long and successful history. Profit growth has returned in recent years following a period of high silver prices and unfavourable exchange rates. The business is becoming decreasingly dependent on silver as it transitions to sales of higher margin composite and ionomer based products and so future shocks are less likely.

Despite its defensive qualities and world class R&D capabilities, SDI trades on a PER of 15.2.

Integrated Research Limited (ASX: IRI) makes software that monitors the performance of companies' IT systems. EPS has risen from 3.3 cents in 2007 to 9.3 cents in 2016 and the company enjoys customer retention rates of over 95%.

With a PER of 24.2, Integrated Research looks good value for the long-term investor.

The post 7 small cap bargains I'd buy right now with $7,000 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Under the leadership of major shareholder Peter Harris, operating profit has risen from NZ$5 million in 2010 to NZ$60 million in 2015. Based on results for the first half of 2016 I estimate the stock trades on a forward price-to-earnings ratio (PER) of under 18.

However, that does not include any contribution from the proposed acquisition of Securities and Financial Solutions Europe SA (SFS). SFS is a Managing General Agent (MGA) and as such earns revenue from brokerage and fees, but does not bear insurance risk. SFS is a major distributor for CBL and has grown earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) from €3 million in 2013 to €8.7 million in 2015.

Since I first wrote about SDI Limited (ASX: SDI) at the beginning of August, shares in the dental restoratives company are up 31%. The company reported a 22% increase in net profit after tax (NPAT) in 2016 to $7.6 million and has guided for revenue growth for 2017.

SDI's sales mix is shifting from amalgam products to composites, ionomers and whiteners. Amalgam products contain silver and generate lower profit margins compared to non-amalgam products.

Therefore, SDI is set to benefit from both a reduced dependency on silver prices and higher margins over coming years. Also, as total revenue increases, the company should be able to keep its indirect costs relatively fixed driving further profit growth.

Despite its recent rise, SDI is trading on a PER of 12 based on my estimated NPAT for 2017. This appears good value for a defensive business with market-leading products operating in a growing industry.

Shares in Malaysian property developer United Overseas Australia Limited (ASX: UOS) are up 18% since I named them as my top pick for September. The company recently released results for the first half of 2016 showing a 43.7% increase in profit attributable to owners.

Even after this month's rally, UOS trades at a 24% discount to its net asset value and pays a 4.8% dividend. The company also has a great long-term track record as a listed entity with shares up over 280% in the past 10 years and dividends and capital returns representing further gains of more than 150%.

The post 3 under-the-radar growth stocks for your watch list appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.