Share prices are always on the move. But after recent movements and business updates, there are some very interesting ASX shares that could be good options for 2022.
Companies that have long-term growth plans and could be good value today are ones that may be able to do well in 2022, particularly if they positively surprise the market.
These stocks could be compelling ones to watch next year:
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Airtasker Ltd (ASX: ART)
Airtasker is a leading marketplace business that provides a platform for people who need work doing to connect with people who have the ability and desire to do that work.
There are numerous categories on the platform such as accounting, administration, tradesman, flatpack assembly, car-related activities like detailing, computer and IT. It offers a wide array of categories and continues to add more.
The Airtasker share price has dropped by more than 20% since the October 2021 high.
However, the business has continued to grow and is optimistic about 2022 and beyond.
COVID-19 has been impacting the business for quite a while. Despite that, it was able to achieve FY21 gross marketplace volume (GMV) growth of 38% year on year. The FY22 first quarter GMV increased another 6.2% despite lockdowns in both Sydney and Melbourne during the period.
Airtasker management boast of the strong economics of its business model – it had a gross profit margin of more than 93% and achieved positive operating cashflow of $5.5 million in FY21.
The ASX share is continuing to expand in the US and UK. FY22 first quarter GMV was up more than 100%. It's looking to reach an international annualised GMV run rate of between $8 million to $10 million by June 2022. Some of the city markets that the business is launching in are Dallas, Kansas City, Miami and Atlanta.
Airtasker is also seeing more Aussies trusting the marketplace, leading to more complex and higher value tasks going through Airtasker.
Morgans currently rates it as a buy, with a price target of $1.27.
VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)
This exchange-traded fund (ETF) is full of businesses with good returns potential according to the analysts at Morningstar.
The only businesses that can even be considered for the portfolio are ones where the economic moat – also known as the competitive advantage(s) – is expected to endure for many years to come and allow the businesses to generate outsized profits for at least a decade.
A moat can come in many different forms such as a cost advantage, intangible assets (like patents and brands) or network effects.
Added to that moat factor, the shares that are bought for this ETF's portfolio only make it in if they are trading at good value compared to Morningstar's estimate of fair value.
At 28 December 2021, some of the businesses that were in the ASX share's portfolio were: Compass Minerals, Campbell Soup, Salesforce.com, Corteva, Dominion Energy and Walt Disney.
Whist the portfolio is invested in a number of sectors, there are four industries that have the biggest exposures: IT (26.8%), healthcare (18.6%), industrials (13.6%) and consumer staples (11.8%).
As VanEck mentions, past performance is not a guarantee of future results. VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF has produced an average return per annum of 19.5% over the last three years.
