Today was a down day for the S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) which continues to hover around the 5,000 point mark, losing 1.5% to 5,009 points.
These four stocks fell substantially further however, and here's why:
Kip McGrath Education Centres Limited (ASX: KME) crashed 7.5% to $0.37 on no news and low volume today, probably reflective of the fact that today the sellers were simply more motivated than the buyers. With a market capitalisation of just $17 million and 44 million shares outstanding, investors must be prepared to expect swings in price, as shifts of even a few cents can make a big difference to the value of your investment. Kip McGrath recently disappointed investors with a stiff drop in half-yearly profit, which management attributed to timing differences. The company's overall profit for the year, however, is expected to be at least equal to last year.
Kip McGrath shares are down 4% in the past 12 months.
Bellamy's Australia Ltd (ASX: BAL) lost 7% to $10.13 on fears that a new tax on goods bought from foreign websites could result in a diminished demand for Bellamy's products in its key Chinese market. On the face of it this certainly isn't great news for the company, however Bellamy's tins have recently been selling at substantially higher prices in China as a result of scarcity, and a normalisation of supply could theoretically compensate for the higher tax, resulting in a limited long-term impact on sales. It remains to be seen if Bellamy's has the brand power to simply pass the higher costs onto consumers, but this is also a possibility that should not be overlooked. Fellow China hopeful A2 Milk Company Ltd (Australia) (ASX: A2M) also saw its shares fall 5% today.
Bellamy's shares are up 287% in the past 12 months.
Superloop Ltd (ASX: SLC) lost 3% to $1.86 as investors remain unsure about the company's valuation and long-term potential. At today's prices, shares are trading within inches of their 52-week low of $1.70, and prices appear low enough to make the company worthy of a closer look, despite its weak revenues. Superloop is really just getting started with the establishment of its fibre networks, and I expect future reporting periods to result in a significant uplift in the company's earnings. Positive cash flows could be some way off if the company continues with its ambitious expansion plans, although there could be an opportunity here for patient investors.
Superloop shares are down 8% in the past 12 months.
Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV) fell 3.8% to $16.96 today, likely in a bout of profit-taking after the company's strong run in recent weeks – up from $13 at the start of February. Premier's rise was driven by solid results, with all brands reporting growth and like-for-like sales up by 6.9% in a tough global market. Unfortunately, this is fully reflected in the share price and Premier isn't exactly cheap, trading at around 26 times trailing earnings – pretty high for a retailer.
Premier shares are up 34% in the past 12 months.
