The Noxopharm Ltd (ASX: NOX) share price went gangbusters today after the company released a new report about its flagship drug, Veyonda. Shares in the biotech closed trade 22% higher at 74 cents a share.

Lets take a closer look at what propelled the Noxopharm share price higher.

Independent trial

Noxopharm shares shot up today on the news that a new independent trial supports the use of Veyonda as a new anti-cancer drug.

The LuPIN trial was in conjunction with Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS)'s Lu-PSMA experimental radiopharmaceutical drug. Novartis is a Swiss pharmaceutical giant with a market capitalisation of $218 billion.

Promisingly, the company advised that the combination of Veyonda and Lu-PSMA delivered a median overall survival outcome of 19.7 months, which inferred a 71% increase in survival outcome over an earlier study known as the WARMTH trial.

Also of note is that the study has helped Noxopharm validate that a higher dosage of the drug is well tolerated for a greater anti-cancer effect.

The LuPIN study will not formally conclude until October 2021 when the final data will be announced. As a result of the positive news announced today, the company also announced the possibility of a larger Phase 2 LuPIN study.

Management comments

Dr Graham Kelly, Noxopharm CEO and managing director, welcomed the news:

This result further supports the Company's belief that Veyonda has the potential to become a standard of care drug to be used in combination with the most common forms of anti-cancer treatments.

He added:

Based on early data from our CEP-1 and DARRT-1 clinical studies, we believe that the unique multiple anti-cancer actions of Veyonda have the potential to produce meaningful survival benefits as a combination treatment across multiple treatment combinations. The striking difference in mOS outcomes between the LuPIN and WARMTH trialsserves to further support that belief.

About the Noxopharm share price

Noxopharm is an Australian clinical stage drug development company focused on the treatment of cancer.

The Noxopharm share price is up an impressive 250% over the last year. Far eclipsing the 24.7% return of the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

The post Why the Noxopharm share price rocketed 22% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Shares in Australian Potash Ltd (ASX: APC) and Salt Lake Potash Ltd (ASX: SO4) have fallen heavily in the past week after the companies announced respective capital raisings.

Australian Potash has fallen 11.43% this week and is currently trading at 15 cents after the company announced a $10 million capital raise from investors. Meanwhile, Salt Lake Potash is down 8.75% this week trading at 36.5 cents as the company announced plans to raise $28 million.

About the potash industry

Potash is a naturally occurring substance containing large amounts of potassium that is utilised in making fertilisers. The potash these companies mine is predominantly used to manufacture sulphate of potash (SOP.)

Potassium sulphate is the second major form of potash and is seen as superior over the more abundant potassium chloride (known as MOP). Primarily, this is due to the toxic impact chloride has on many food plants and as such SOP demands up to a 40% premium.

According to a report in the Australian Financial Review recently, the potash industry is slowly coming back to life as money is being pumped into the sector thanks to the potential of SOP. Thus, the race is on between a number of small-cap potash producers to be the first to turn out SOP in Australia.

Other ASX-listed potash players include Kalium Lakes Ltd (ASX: KLL), Agrimin Ltd (ASX: AMN) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP). BHP said recently that potash was one of four projects under development this year.

Salt Lake Potash winning the race

This week, Salt Lake Potash announced it had completed an institutional placement to enable a final debt drawdown. The $28 million raised at 35 cents a share also enabled access to additional funding through a bank guarantee provided by Sequoia. However, the news has not stopped the Salt Lake Potash share price from plummeting as the company also provided a Lake Way update.

According to the company, the project is on schedule for production in June 2021 with the first sales coming shortly after. As such, plant commissioning is more than 50% complete. However, the capital budget for the works has now increased by $5 million to $269 million in order to de-risk the salt production.

Nonetheless, the company still looks like it will be the first Australian company to both produce and sell SOP across the world.

Australian Potash equity raising

The Australian Potash share price has also fallen significantly this week as the company announced a $10 million capital raise for institutional and sophisticated investors.

The funds similarly to above will be used to progress its Lake Wells SOP project. There are several pre-development activities including building the Lake Wells village.

Australian Potash managing director and CEO Matt Shackleton said:

The heavy institutional and sophisticated investor demand for the offer reflects well on the Lake Wells SOP Project's very robust financial metrics, and supports our transition into development. The LSOP (Lake Wells Sulphate of Potash) still carries the largest 100% measured JORC compliant SOP resource across the space, which speaks to the technically de-risked nature of the development.

In addition to the LSOP, we look forward to unlocking the inherent value in the Laverton Downs nickel sulphide targets with a maiden diamond program scheduled to commence in May.

The post Why have these ASX potash shares been crashing this week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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The MyState Limited (ASX: MYS) share price is in a trading halt today after the company announced a capital raising.

As such, the MyState share price will remain frozen at Friday's closing price of $4.85 to enable the placement to be completed. Trading is expected to resume on Wednesday.

The financial and fund management company also detailed its strategy and outlook in today's release. Let's take a look.

MyState capital raising

MyState today announced it aims to "rapidly accelerate" its growth strategy through a placement to raise up to $80 million. The placement will comprise a $20 million institutional underwritten offer and a $60 million entitlement offering to all eligible shareholders. All shares under the capital raise will be issued at $4.30.

The company also outlined its new growth strategy for the coming years. MyState wants to bring in new customers by creating better experiences for them on its current platform. The company said it was turning to a more digital and intuitive platform to meet this goal.

It is also aiming to simplify operations while expanding its distribution network to enhance both productivity and distribution.

With these priorities, the company has outlined four objectives to be achieved by 2025:

• Accelerated home loan and retail deposit growth over the medium term, while maintaining asset quality.
• Improved operating leverage.
• Return on Equity accretion as capital is deployed.
• And sustainable growth in the company's EPS over the medium term.

Management comments

MyState chair Miles Hampton explained:

The capital raising will support the business to pursue a significant acceleration of its growth strategy. Since 2016, MyState has increased its home loan book by 43%. We now see an opportunity to build on that success and substantially increase our growth trajectory.

This is important as it helps us to remain competitive and provide the services that our customers expect whilst improving shareholder value.

Trading update and guidance

In MyState's trading update and FY21 guidance also released today, the company advised it was well ahead of the prior corresponding period for the 10 months ending 30 April.

Highlights include a net profit after tax increase of 17.1%, and earnings per share (EPS) up 16.2%.

In terms of guidance, the company said it was on track to deliver growth in operating profit of 11%-14%.

The post The MyState (ASX:MYS) share price is frozen today. Here's why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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The Earlypay Ltd (ASX: EPY) share price was flying higher today after the company announced record trading in a market update today.

At the market close, shares in the company were trading 8.64% higher at 44 cents.

Earlypay is a small-cap ASX-listed company that delivers financial management and payroll services. The company aims to provide small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access to financing in order to grow and enable them to focus on their core activities.

Why the Earlypay share price was flying

In today's update, the company announced record transactions in March with volumes for the month at $199 million, 34% higher than the same period last year. The company said it expected this momentum to translate to a material increase in earnings for FY22.

Earlypay also announced improvements to all three of its warehouse facilities, providing "cost savings and greater flexibility". This in turn would support the continued growth of Earlypay's loan book.

In addition, the company reconfirmed its FY21 guidance of $21m earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) and NPATA of $8.5m.

Earlypay advised this would result in a minimum final dividend of 1.3 cents per share (cps), bringing the full year's dividends to 2.3 cps, fully franked and giving the company a dividend yield of 5.23%.

Management comments

Earlypay CEO Daniel Riley welcomed the performance, saying:

Q3, which is seasonally our lowest quarter, ended with record volumes in March, underpinned by Earlypay's online lending platform, which continues to deliver growth and momentum in client acquisition and client experience.

This growth is due to an increase in funding requirements from existing clients, as well as new clients coming on board as our organic growth continues to build.

The support from Earlypay's senior funders, which is evidenced by the increase in facility limits, broadening of product parameters and an overall reduction in interest costs, further supports the strength of our business and outlook.

About the Earlypay share price

The Earlypay share price has enjoyed a solid run of late, rising by 55% over the last year and outpacing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) 30% gain for the same period.

The financial company currently boasts a market capitalisation of $103.55 million.

The post Why the Earlypay (ASX:EPY) share price is flying 8% higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

Anteotech Ltd (ASX: ADO) shares are shooting upwards today after the company announced it has received an important manufacturing contract. At the time of writing, the Anteotech share price is trading 10% higher at 33 cents. 

Anteotech is an Australian based biotech company that aims to solve global industry problems across a number of segments. In particular, the company operates in the life sciences, diagnostics, energy and medical devices markets.

What's driving the Anteotech share price?

The Anteotech share price is soaring today after the company released news of an important agreement with Operon. To this point, the biotech has finalised and signed a manufacturing contract for its COVID-19 antigen rapid test (ART), EuGeni, with the Spanish company.

The announcement comes after the successful completion of the technology transfer in March, which also saw the Anteotech share price jump by 15%.

Moreover, under the terms of the agreement, the companies have agreed to an exclusivity period of three years. During the period, Operon has a manufacturing capacity of 8 million complete tests per annum, giving Anteotech the capacity to fulfil the expected demand for EuGeni.

Regulatory compliance

Anteotech is now a legal manufacturer of a medical device which means the company's quality management system (QMS) needs to be compliant with both domestic and international regulatory authorities. As such, over the next 12 months, Anteotech will submit a range of tests to the TGA, FDA and Europe's equivalents.

Furthermore, due to the emerging need to enhance its QMS, the company will also bring forward its Eugeni tests by 3 months, while delaying its TGA submission by the same time frame. This will allow findings from the trial to be included in the TGA submission. To this point, the deferral will not hinder the current roll-out and distribution of the ART internationally.

As stated by the company:

In fact, we believe the international markets provide a much stronger opportunity. To date, a high level of enquiries for the ART have been fielded from jurisdictions in which our CE Mark is accepted or where other regulatory approvals or emergency use authorisations are required.

About the Anteotech share price

The Anteotech share price has performed remarkably over the last 12 months. It's gained an astounding 1,400% as the company saw interest in its products increase during the global pandemic.

The company's validation-of-saliva samples for its rapid test are currently underway. Pending analysis and results of the saliva samples, Anteotech remains on track to provide an update in June 2021.

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

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The AVZ Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ) share price surged then fell today after the company announced a co-operation agreement with the government of Congo.

Shares in the company were trading 6.25% higher at 17 cents late this afternoon before slipping back to their opening price of 16 cents just at the market close.

Let's take a look at what mineral explorer announced.

Government agreement

Today, AVZ Minerals announced that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DMC) had approved a draft co-operation agreement with the company.

The company said the document approval would aid the company's Manono Lithium and Tin Project, adding the draft represented "significant financial opportunity".

With the new DMC government being sworn in on April 27, the company said the news represented a step in the right direction for the Manono Special Economic Zone (MSEZ). It noted the agreement could lead to tax concessions and import duty relief.

AVZ managing director Nigel Ferguson welcomed the news, saying:

The final co-operation agreement will deliver significant long-term economic benefits for the project, as well as further underpinning our substantial investment in the DRC.

It will also deliver long-term benefits for the people of the Manono region, including access to improved health and education services, stable employment opportunities and upgraded infrastructure including electricity supply.

The company noted that the agreement was still in the draft stage, with the AVZ Minerals team in DRC "working hard" to finalise negotiations. It expects the DRC Government to sign the formal decree "as soon as practicable and hopefully in May 2021".

About the AVZ Mineral share price

AVZ Minerals is an Australian mineral explorer. The company's key operation is the Manono project in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa.

While the mine is not yet operational, the company continues to focus on progressing it.

The AVZ Mineral share price has had a ripper year so far, gaining 166% over the past 12 months. This exceeds the All Ordinaries Index's (ASX: XAO) more modest 33.5% gain.

The post What happened to the AVZ Minerals (ASX:AVZ) share price today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price has hit a new multi-year high today as the company announces a new tech partnership. Shares in the bank are currently trading at $94.68, up 0.8% on Friday's close.

As well as breaking through its previous 52-week high, the CBA share price is closing in on its all-time high of $96.17, achieved in late March 2015. 

Let's take a look at what the banking giant announced.

Big tech partnership

The Commonwealth Bank has announced a partnership with major e-commerce operator Bigcommerce Holdings Inc, in what The Age today described as a move to attract younger, digitally savvy business banking customers.

BigCommerce is a US-listed company worth $3.34 billion. It provides a software-as-a-service (SaaS) e-commerce platform that helps target online shoppers, similar to that of rival Shopify Inc.

CBA says the partnership will provide the bank's business customers with a platform that allows them to establish and grow their online presence. Anything from building a website and marketing campaigns through to payment solutions will be covered. It will also enable Commbank merchants to get paid faster through its same-day settlement.

According to The Age, CBA aims to use the platform to make inroads into the business banking sector. Traditionally Commonwealth's major rival National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) has been dominant in this sector and CBA is looking to change this.

Hunting for millennials

With the cohort of millennials set to grow by 17% over the next 10 years, Australia's major bank is on the hunt for younger customers. It is widely held that millennials are generally more tech-savy than their older counterparts and, as such, a different style of marketing is required to attract them to a business.

Commonwealth Bank has been increasing its focus on attracting this demographic and, so far, this play appears to be bearing fruit. According to CBA, 57% of all its new bank customers over the last 6 months have been millennials.

Nonetheless, as stated by James Fowle, CBA's business customer solutions executive general manager:

This is for businesses of all sizes, from a small startup selling things from your Instagram account all the way up to a large e-commerce player with multiple warehouses across Australia.

As such, this move is not just for the younger generation but all those that have transitioned to a stronger online presence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

About the CBA share price

The CBA share price has had a great year so far, gaining more than 13%. What's more, investors holding the stock will receive a dividend yield of 3.3%, fully franked.

And with the bank yet to disclose its results this month, Citi analysts are expecting a jump in that amount. According to the analysts, Commonwealth Bank should pay a $3.45 dividend in FY21, meaning a 3.65% payout at today's prices.

The post Commonwealth Bank (ASX:CBA) share price hits record high. Here's why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Shopify. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The Omni Bridgeway Ltd (ASX: OBL) share price fell today as the company announced the settlement of a class action case. As a result, shares in the dispute resolution finance company dropped to $3.54, down 5.6% on Friday's close.

In comparison, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) dipped by only 0.05%.

Wivenhoe Dam class action

Omni Bridgeway is involved as a litigation funder regarding the settlement of the Wivenhoe class action for an aggregate amount of $440 million. In essence, this means that the company provides funding for the claimants. In return, the company receives a proportion of the damages recovered.

The Wivenhoe dam case has been a hard fought and extremely expensive case on behalf of approximately 6,700 claimants. The defendants are state-owned enterprises Seqwater, Sunwater and the Queensland Government.

However, only the State of Queensland and Sunwater have settled their half of the liability in the class action. Seqwater is yet to settle, with its 50% of the $880 million damages going to court in May.

Class action resolution

Shares in the company dropped today after Omni Bridgeway announced the settlement of the Wivenhoe Class Action with the State of Queensland and Sunwater.

This morning the supreme court of New South Wales approved the terms of the settlement sought on behalf of the group members. The settlement is now unconditional, although appeals can still be made. Omni Bridgeway stated this is unlikely to happen.

Notably, the company will receive a fee from the settlement for $30 million. This is for project costs and the management fee.

Nonetheless, Omni Bridgeway's estimated total income for this investment may still change. This is both as a result of the non-settling respondent, Seqwater and the intricacies surrounding the settlement.

Regarding Seqwater, the company stated: "The 50% of the investment relating to the judgment against Seqwater remains unsettled and will continue to be carried as an intangible investment at cost pending future resolution."

About the Omni Bridgeway share price

Omni Bridgeway is a specialist in dispute resolution finance, with particular expertise in civil and common law legal and recovery systems. The company boasts operations spanning Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, the UK and the US.

Shares in the mid-cap ASX listed stock have not had a good year, with the Omni Bridgeway share price falling by 20%.

The post Why did the Omni Bridgeway (ASX:OBL) share price sink 5% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The Talga Group Ltd (ASX: TLG) share price spent this afternoon in the red before closing 3.69% lower at $1.57.

The company released its quarterly report after the market closed on Friday, so today was the first opportunity for investors to trade on the news. As such, the Talga share price underperformed compared to the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which closed just 0.05% lower today.

Talga is a minerals tech company with operations including graphite exploration and development in Sweden and graphite or graphene research and development in Germany and the United Kingdom.

What happened during the quarter?

During the quarter ending 31 March 2021 (3Q FY21), the company started constructing its fully-funded Swedish Electric Vehicle Anode qualification plant. So far, the project remains on schedule with the equipment for the plant expected to be delivered by quarter 4 this financial year.

Furthermore, graphite ore from the company's Vittangi project arrived at its Scandinavian mineral processing partner for milling and concentration. Talga expects the outcomes to be known around the first quarter of FY22.

The applications permitting the company to advance and continue mining at its Vittangi project also arrived this quarter. This, in turn, enabled the company to prepare for its 25,000-tonne trial graphite mine at Vittangi.

Talga noted that its Vittangi anode production path has been pushed back during the quarter due to complications caused by COVID-19 and site access restrictions. As such, it expects the feasibility study for the plant to be completed in late June 2021.

In addition, the company continued to make progress with its graphene and battery anode technology. This included numerous customer sample qualification programs regarding lithium-ion batteries and an update on its Talcoat graphene additive for marine coatings.

About the Talga share price

With Talga successfully raising $30 million from its shareholder placement plan this quarter, it currently holds $58.4 million in cash. This includes the recent sale of its Western Australian gold royalties for $800,000.

Furthermore, the company divested its "non-core" Swedish Iron projects. This process is expected to be completed by late September, with any transaction announced around the same time.

Despite strong performance during April, the Talga share price did not have a positive start to the year. Shares in the small-cap graphene company are down 16% year-to-date.

The post Why did the Talga (ASX:TLG) share price fall today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The Vmoto Ltd (ASX: VMT) share price is flat today as the company announced its first quarterly update for the calendar year.

Despite a couple of lifts this morning, shares in the electric scooter company are currently back where they started, trading at 44 cents. For comparison, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 0.03%.

Let's take a closer look at what's happening with the Vmoto share price.

Sales performance

For the first quarter ended 31 March 2021 (1Q21), Vmoto reported strong sales growth. The company sold 42% more units than in the first quarter of 2020, bringing its total to 5,869. Of these, 5,636 were sold into international markets with 233 specifically sold into China.

The company advised the sales were in line with its expectations and reflected seasonality across Europe and China.

The strong sales performance also led to positive operating cash flows for the first quarter. The company expects this to continue with firm international orders of 10,702 units as of March 31.

Furthermore, it has appointed new distributors to boost the number of international orders. They have shared ongoing discussions and samples with a significant number of potential new customers.

Looking ahead

Despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vmoto said it was confident in the strength of its global growth strategy. As a result, the company expects to deliver similar levels of growth for the 2021 financial year. As stated in its release:

Vmoto continues to execute on its strategy of selling high performance and value electric two-wheel vehicles into international markets and continues to build both its B2B and B2C distribution network worldwide.

In addition, Vmoto intends to continue developing its product suite, with $15.8 million in the bank to fund growth and no bank debt on its books.

Pushing into the future, the electric scooter company believes it has significant tailwinds. As stated by the company, this is "thanks, in large due to the global focus on mitigating the effects of climate change" and the consequential push towards electric vehicles.

About the Vmoto share price

While the Vmoto share price is trading flat today, the company has undergone a phenomenal year of growth. In the last year alone, its shares are up 193.33%.

The post What's with the Vmoto (ASX:VMT) share price today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The Alcidion Group Ltd (ASX: ALC) share price is having quite the month, up 32.25% so far in April. Shares in the company have risen off the back of a number of positive catalysts.

The Alcidion share price is showing no signs of slowing down. At yesterday's close, the company's shares were up another 10.96% to a price of 41 cents.

On this note, shares in Alcidion were brought to a halt on April 14, regarding news about a potential acquisition and capital raise. Just 24 hours later, all was revealed and the company released a number of announcements.

ExtraMed Acquisition

Firstly, there was the news that Alcidion would be acquiring ExtraMed, a UK national health service (NHS) software provider.

Post-purchase, Alcidion expects to be the leader in the UK digital market. Having a 19% market share in the NHS system. Moreover, the acquisition is expected to add $2.7 million in revenue from FY22.

Capital Raise

Secondly, the company announced a $17.9 million capital raise. This was made up of an institutional placement and a share purchase plan (SPP). Both shareholders and institutional investors will be able to purchase additional shares at 32 cents.

Defence contract

Next was the news that Alcidion had been selected as the preferred provider for a $21 million Department of Defence contract. The five and a half year, $21 million contracts are still subject to final negotiations and funding approvals. The contract involves major healthcare IT project to capture data and support clinical decision-making across the Australian Defence Force.

Updated Results

Finally, the company released an investor presentation regarding quarter three and its acquisition. Alcidion outlined its $24.7 million of revenue for the financial year thus far. With $3 million being earned in the most recent quarter.

Nonetheless, it is worth noting that the company's full quarterly report is due on Wednesday.

About the Alcidion share price

With four trading days left this month, it's anyone's guess where the Alcidion share price will be come close on Friday.

However, Alcidion shareholders certainly won't be disappointed with the company's stellar 135% return since this point last year.

The post Why the Alcidion (ASX:ALC) share price is up 32% this month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Alcidion Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alcidion Group Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The Dotz Nano Ltd (ASX: DTZ) share price is slipping today after the company announced new agreements with Zohar Dalia. Shares in the information technology company are down 0.8% at the time of writing, trading at 36 cents.

The tech company operates in anti-counterfeiting, authentication and tracing. It can embed its 4 products – ValiDotz, BioDotz, Fluorensic and InSpec – into plastics, fuels and chemicals. Furthermore, the solutions have application in the oil and gas industry, bio-imaging and liquid tagging.

What's the deal?

This morning, Dotz Nano told the market it has entered into supply and distribution agreements with Zohar Dalia. The agreements are for antiviral disinfectant with verifiable surface sanitation.

Zohar Dalia is a subsidiary of Israel's largest manufacturer and supplier of detergent and cleaning products. The supply agreement is that Dotz Nano will supply Zohar Dalia with its nontoxic molecular markers and detectors for Zohar to create a new active surface sanitisation solution.

The distribution agreement will give Zohar the right to sell and advertise the products globally, in approved markets such as the United Kingdom, India, Europe, Australia, and Africa.

Notably, the agreements are not expected to have an immediate material impact on the company's revenue.

Validation

Despite no material impact on revenue, the company says the deals offer good product validation and follow a successful trial within Tel Aviv Airport where 1000 litres of disinfectant were traced and verified.

Other trials were also undertaken in public areas. As such, the solution has the potential for use across a wide range of spaces including airports, hospitals, hotels and public transport.

Management comments

Dotz Nano chair and interim CEO Bernie Brookes commented on the agreements, saying:

Our supply and distribution agreements with Zohar Dalia further highlight the broad applicability of Dotz's authentication technology, and the board believes increases our value proposition even further.

It enables us to enter a new sector in several markets with what the board believes to be a superior solution both in terms of effectiveness and the unique ability to verify proper surface sanitation.

About the Dotz Nano share price

While the agreements may not have boosted revenue in the short term, Dotz Nano says they have "significant potential based on the large addressable global market".

The Dotz Nano share price is up 37% year-to-date and has climbed a massive 792.5% over the past 12 months.

The post Dotz Nano (ASX:DTZ) share price dips on new agreements appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The 4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) share price is wobbling today after the company released its latest quarterly report. Shares in the company are currently trading 0.31% lower at a price of $1.62.

4DMedical is a medical imaging company that is focusing on commercialising its respiratory imaging program.

Route to commercialisation

During the quarter ended 31 March 2021, 4DMedical pressed ahead with a number of initiatives, primarily in the effort to get its XVD scanner — the world's first dedicated lung scanner — closer to commercial use.

The company was granted $28.9 million in funding by the Medical Research Future Fund to be used towards development of the XVD Scanner.

4DMedical confirmed it will receive 100% of the revenue generated from the scanner sales and associated service revenue. The scanners are expected to be deployed in early 2022, with commercialisation coming one year later.

The company continues to press ahead securing clinical pilots and completing clinical trials with healthcare institutions. In January, 4DMedical announced the first clinical pilot for its lung ventilation analysis software would be conducted at St. Joseph Hospital. Located in Orange County, California.

In the quarter, 4DMedical also secured pre-contracts with the US Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs. This access will allow the department's healthcare facilities first access to use the company's technology. 4DMedical has negotiated a fixed price for the offering without requiring separate reimbursement, which it states will help streamlining commercial agreements in the future.

Clinical trials commence

In further good news for the company during the quarter, it was able to recommence clinical trials in the US, with the pandemic being brought under control by vaccines. As such, 4DMedical has 3 trials active.

The trials are all being conducted in separate institutions to ensure the validity of results.

What next for 4DMedical?

Following the company's successful capital raising it now has $76.5 million in the bank as of March 2021. Net outflows for the quarter were $4.5 million, relating mainly to staff costs, R&D and operating costs.

Moreover, according to the release, a strong pipeline of clinical trials awaiting hospital readiness are expected to resume in the coming months.

On current prices, the 4DMedical share price is down more than 30% so far this year, but up 2.52% on this time last year. 

The post 4DMedical (ASX:4DX) share price wobbles on quarterly report appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has shares in 4DMedical Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The Downer share price has been relatively flat so far this year, returning 0.64% compared to the 5.3% rise in the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO). 

What happened

This morning industrial company Downer announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its tyre management business, Otraco. The sale of Otraco is to Japanese company Bridgestone for $79 million.

The completion of the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions, is expected to occur before the end of 2021.

Furthermore, the sale follows Downer's strategy of divesting its mining business as part of its renewed focus on Urban services.

Management comments

Downer CEO Grant Fenn welcomed the news, saying:

The sale of Otraco follows Downer's exit from its Underground mining, Open Cut Mining West, Downer Blasting Services and Snowden consulting businesses and also our share in the RTL Mining and Earthworks joint venture.

Potential future sales

The CEO went on to talk about possible future sales, as the company looks to continue its divestment in its mining businesses.

According to the release the company is in ongoing discussions to sell its open cut mining business. Fenn stated that a number of parties are interested.

Moreover, the sale follows a number of large recent deals, which will deliver total proceeds of $605 million when concluded. To date $476 million has been received.

About the Downer share price

Downer is a services provider based in Australia and New Zealand. Listed on the ASX in 1998, the company is also a member of the S&P/ASX 100 Index (ASX: XTO).

The company's shares have been performing well in the last month on the back of a large contract win. As such, the Downer share price is up 7% for the period.

The post Why the Downer (ASX:DOW) share price is rising today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The Dubber Corp Ltd (ASX: DUB) share price rocketed almost 5% today after the company released its response to an ASX query.

The Dubber share price touched an all-time high of $2.42 in morning trade before retreating in the afternoon to close at $2.26, a rise of 0.44%.

What happened

At 9.30 this morning, Dubber responded to the ASX's inquiry over the strong price rise prior to its Zoom Video Communications Inc (NASDAQ: ZM) announcement on 14 April. The company was asked to explain why its share price rose from $1.78 to $1.96 with increased volume on 13 April.

Crucially, with the Zoom announcement being released the following day, the ASX was inquiring about the possibility of insider trading.

Dubber responds

In response, company secretary Ian Hobson outlined how the company became aware of the situation at 8.03am on 14 April and consequently released the information before the market opened on the same day.

However, he noted that Dubber had been in discussion in the months prior, relating to a range of commercial initiatives.

This included the proposal by the company that the Dubber call recording service would be made available on the Zoom app marketplace. According to Mr Hobson, this process can take time relating to the various technical requirements.

Regarding the prior price change in Dubber's share price, the company stated that the announcement had remained confidential between Dubber and Zoom, apart from a limited number of individuals.

As such, the company claims that it had complied with the ASX listing rules, and in particular, rule 3.1 regarding the release of information.

About the Dubber share price

Dubber is an Australian company that operates as a cloud platform service provider.

It provides a call recording, management, and access service with advanced functionality. Its product suite includes Dubber Connect, a cloud call recording and communication capture service available through a service provider.

The Dubber share price has performed well over the last year, returning 182.5% to investors.

The post Why the Dubber (ASX:DUB) share price just smashed its all-time high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and recommends Zoom Video Communications. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Dubber. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Zoom Video Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The Province Resources Ltd (ASX: PRL) share price is storming higher today as the company announced a new, global green hydrogen project.

Shares in the small-cap natural resources company have been surging higher in recent times, reaching an all-time high of 20 cents this morning.

Currently, the Province Resources share price is sitting at 18 cents, up 24.14% on Friday's close.

Green hydrogen

Dubbed the 'fuel of the future', green hydrogen has been part of a global thematic that has "seen billions of dollars of invested capital" flow into the industry. According to an ABC report, the estimated potential demand for imported hydrogen in China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore alone could reach $9.5 billion by 2030.

Nonetheless, as the article explains, hydrogen still has caveats. Hydrogen is so small that it can escape through solid steel, meaning new piping systems would have to be developed. Moreover, it is one of the most flammable gases on the planet.

Total Eren partnership

Returning from its trading halt today, Province Resources announced that it had signed an agreement with France-based company Total Eren. Signed on 16 April, the binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) is to perform a feasibility study in the view of potentially developing a major green hydrogen project.

The project, earmarked for the Gascoyne region of Western Australia, will be equally owned by the two companies. However, it is conditional on the feasibility study which will be completed in approximately 4 months.

The project will be developed in two stages totalling up to 8 Giga Watts in installed renewable energy capacity. 

From the management

Commenting on the news, Province Resources managing director David Frances said:

Given the recent drive by state and federal governments to quickly develop and advance the green hydrogen industry in Australia, I am confident this project will be of strategic national importance.

Province is excited to have a global renewable energy leader such as Total Eren as a partner with the technical and financial capability to help Province deliver this project as part of the backbone of the nation's hydrogen strategy.

So what

Total Eren is an independent power producer from renewable energy sources with more than 3.3 Giga Watts of renewable energy plants worldwide. In Australia, the company owns Victoria's largest solar farm.

Regarding the news, the Province Resources share price has flown higher, gaining an impressive 24.14% at the time of writing.

The post Why the Province Resources (ASX:PRL) share price just hit an all-time high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL) share price is edging higher today following the announcement of a new CEO. Shares in the health insurance giant are currently 0.52% higher, trading at $2.90.

New CEO

This morning, Medibank announced that David Koczkar has been appointed as the new company chief executive officer (CEO). However, investors will have to wait till 17 May to see their new man in action. The news comes as Craig Drummond, CEO for the last five years, is stepping down from his role.

While new to the role, Mr Koczkar is not new to the company and has been serving Medibank as chief customer officer.

Medibank said he had been "instrumental in the growth of the company" while overseeing some of the largest changes in the private health insurance sector in Australia. Accomplishments in his previous role include improved customer growth and retention, and product improvements.

Prior to joining Medibank, Mr Koczkar was the group chief commercial officer at Jetstar. He has more than 25 years of leadership experience in the finance and consulting industry.

Management comments

Regarding both his imminent role and the previous CEO, Mr Koczkar said:

For the last seven years, I have had the privilege of working to improve our relationship with our customers, their experience and enhancing the value that we provide them. I am thrilled to be able to continue this work.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Craig Drummond for his leadership of our company over the last five years. He leaves our company in a stronger position, and we all remain committed to realising the ambition outlined for our customers, our owners and our people.

Terms of the new role

So how much does the new Medibank CEO stand to earn? The release said Mr Koczkar would be paid a fixed sum of $1.5 million a year. This will be reviewed annually and the remuneration includes cash, salary benefits and super contributions.

Moreover, he will also receive short and long term incentives. Of up to 150% of his annual total fixed remuneration based on performance.

On the news, the Medibank share price is trading slightly higher, up 0.52%.

The post Why the Medibank (ASX:MPL) share price is higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The Digital Wine Ventures Ltd (ASX: DW8) share price has been brought to a halt in trading today ahead of a significant announcement. As such, shares in the company remain frozen at 14.5 cents, the trading price at Friday's market close.

The news comes on the back of a remarkable month for the company that has seen its share price rise by an impressive 107%.

What's happening?

Shares in the company are at a standstill pending the release of an announcement regarding a material partnership agreement. 

The trading halt will remain until this Wednesday or when the company releases its news. Whichever comes first.

Investors will have to remain patient until the announcement is made. However, the Digital Wine share price has been performing well as of late.

Last week, the company signed a significant agreement with global giant eBay Inc (NASDAQ: EBAY). The agreement will enable eBay shoppers to choose wines on its platform. They then are packaged and transported by Digital Wine's WINEDEPOT platform.

This follows a major international deal in February when Digital Wine announced a partnership with Vivino, the "world's largest wine app and marketplace". 

About the Digital Wine share price

Digital Wine is a Sydney-based company that invests in early-stage, tech-driven ventures that can potentially disrupt the global beverage market. To this end, the company's primary project is WINEDEPOT.

WINEDEPOT is engaged in the distribution of premium wine. It also undertakes bulk wine production and contract wine processing. The company's focus on the Asian retail wine market allows its customers in China to purchase wine from around the world. All at the press of a button from phones, tablets or laptops.

The Digital Wine share price has had a great year on the ASX, up 1,350% over the last 12 months. As such, the company currently boasts a market capitalisation of around $240 million.

The post Why the Digital Wine (ASX:DW8) share price is on ice appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

Tabcorp Holdings Limited (ASX: TAH) shares slipped today after the company announced a strategic review of its operations. At the close of trade today, the Tabcorp share price was trading at $4.69, down 2.7%

Let's take a closer look at what the company announced.

Tabcorp share price slides after update

In early February, the Tabcorp share price went flying when news began circulating about a potential buyout of part of the gaming giant's business. A media report in The Australian revealed that Tabcorp received a proposal to break up the $9 billion betting company. However, despite a release at the time stating the company was assessing the proposals and would update the market in due course, Tabcorp has remained tight-lipped on the matter. 

Today, however, Tabcorp confirmed the company had received a number of "unsolicited approaches" and proposals. Furthermore, it was revealed that the offers were predominantly for the company's wagering and media businesses, which were valued at $3 billion in the offer.

In review, the Tabcorp board has decided the proposals are not of sufficient value. As such, the offers will be rejected.

However, in light of the interest, the company has decided to perform a strategic review of the company. This is in order to assess structural and ownership options to maximise the value of the company for the shareholders.

Could wagering and media still be sold?

Notably, the company made clear there was still a possibility that its wagering and media division could be sold off. This could be done through a third party or even as a demerger.

A demerger would involve the separation of the wagering and media businesses or its lottery and keno division. Consequentially, the company is also reviewing its gaming services business.

Management comments

Tabcorp chair Steven Gregg said of the review:

The assessment of Tabcorp's strategic and ownership options includes, but is not limited to, a demerger or sale of one or more of our businesses.

Our clear objective is to ensure that we fully maximise the value of Tabcorp's gambling entertainment businesses for our shareholders.

What now

With no timeframe allocated to the review, shareholders will have to remain patient for the next parcel of information.

The review is being undertaken by the Tabcorp board of directors. In the meantime, the search for a new CEO has been put on hold until the review is completed.

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

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

The WAM Active Limited (ASX: WAA) share price closed up 3.9% today, trading at a 52-week high of $1.195.

What happened

The WAM Active share price was flying today after the company announced strong demand for its share purchase plan (SPP), which, together with its oversubscribed placement, has raised more than $25.2 million.

The SPP announced in late February allowed shareholders to apply for up to $30,000 in shares at a discounted rate. As a bonus, those who participated will receive the company's fully franked 3 cents per share dividend on all newly issued shares.

Participants in the SPP and placement will be entitled to bonus options from this Thursday. Each option provides the holder with the 'option' to purchase one WAM Active share for $1.10 without any brokerage fees.

Management comments

WAM Active chair Geoff Wilson welcomed the news, saying:

We greatly appreciate the trust, loyalty and support we have received from WAM Active shareholders.

More than 840 existing WAM Active shareholders participated in the SPP, which, together with the oversubscribed placement, raised more than $25.2 million.

Performance update

WAM Active also recently announced an investment portfolio update for shareholders, stating its investment portfolio increased by 2% in the period.

At the time of release on 16 March, the company's net tangible assets equated to $1.02 a share. WAM Active revealed its largest holding was Keybridge Capital Limited (ASX: KBC), with a 9.2% weighting. 

About the WAM Active share price

WAM Active is a listed investment management company operating under the Wilson Asset Management umbrella. The portfolio provides investors with "exposure to an active trading style with the aim of achieving a sound return with a low correlation to traditional markets".

Over the past 12 months, the WAM Active share price has returned around 32.8% compared to the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) return of 44% in the same period.

The post The WAM Active (ASX:WAA) share price hit a new 52-week high today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ewing has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.