Shares in the building solutions company are bidding higher on the back of an announcement earlier today.

Let's take a look at why investors are pushing the Fleetwood share price higher.

Fleetwood share price soars on contract news

Shares in Fleetwood have been boosted following a major announcement earlier today.

The company revealed it has secured a major contract for the new 1000-bed quarantine facility, the Centre for National Resilience, in Melbourne.

According to the release, Fleetwood will utilise its manufacturing facilities to deliver 500 beds by the end of 2021.

The company highlighted that the contract is expected to result in revenue of approximately $32 million for FY22.

The Centre for National Resilience is a purpose-built quarantine facility, built and owned by the federal government.

The facility will be operated by the Victorian government for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fleetwood's Chief Executive Officer Bruce Nicholson noted:

This is an outstanding outcome for the company and highlights the strengths of using innovative offsite manufacturing to deliver highly effective and efficient products with strong sustainability credentials.

More on Fleetwood

Fleetwood is a leader in the modular construction industry and is a key supplier to the education, health, custodial, mining and affordable housing sectors.

Shares in the construction company took a blow recently after the company provided an operations update.

Fleetwood noted a slow and cautious recovery in the building industry following COVID-19 lockdowns in New South Wales and Victoria.

As a result of the current uncertainty, the company noted that clients have been very conservative and slow in their decision making.

In addition, Fleetwood noted that ongoing border closures and uncertainty around domestic travel have impacted its recreational vehicles (RV) business.

The company noted that foot traffic has also declined across its retail channels, while online and click and collect channels also showed signs of slowing.

Fleetwood had recently addressed the direct impact that various COVID-19 restrictions were having on its operations in its full-year report.

Snapshot of the ANZ share price

Shares in Fleetwood have soared more than 12% since the start of 2021.

However, the company's share price is still well off its 52-week highs from earlier this year.

At the time of writing, shares in Fleetwood are trading more than 2.64% higher for the day at $2.33.

The post Fleetwood (ASX:FWD) share price jumps on secured contract success appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Let's take a closer look at the announcement. 

New CEO succession

The Fleetwood share price is on the move today following the change of its leadership group.

According to this morning's release, Fleetwood advised it has appointed Mr. Bruce Nicholson as its new CEO. An experienced building and construction materials executive, Mr. Nicholson will formally become head of the company on 1 July 2021. This follows former managing director and CEO Mr Brad Denison departure in November last year.

Current interim CEO Mr. Andrew Wackett will return to his original role as chief financial officer and joint company secretary. This will take place once Mr. Nicholson begins his tenure at Fleetwood.

The company went on to highlight Mr. Nicholson's substantial experience. In particular, noting his aptitude for delivering results in difficult trading environments. Mr. Nicholson worked on projects in both Australia and New Zealand, as well as North America and Europe.

Most recently, he held the position of CEO and managing director of Waco Kwikform Group. The business is a leading supplier of scaffolding and falsework for construction, residential, and industrial markets throughout the ANZ region.

Furthermore, Mr. Nicholson also worked at Fletcher Building Group's ROCLA concrete piping and products business as managing director. His most notable achievement included heading up the turnaround of a complex manufacturing operation.

Management commentary

Fleetwood chair, John Klepec, touched on Mr Nicholson's being the right person for the top job, saying:

Bruce has a proven track record over an extended period in both major national established businesses and leading the turnaround of operations.

We are focussed on fully integrating our acquired Modular Building businesses across Australia whilst also profitably seizing the growth opportunity that currently presents. The modular construction model will transform to efficient manufacturing production systems and Bruce's depth and breadth of experience are required for Fleetwood to be a major player.

He is a highly accomplished performance-oriented executive delivering results through customer partnerships, functional excellence and transformation.

About the Fleetwood share price

Over the past 12 months, the Fleetwood share price has risen over 120%, with year-to-date improving 29%. The company's shares are also within the sights of hitting its 52-week high of $2.89 reached in February this year.

On valuation grounds, Fleetwood commands a market capitalisation of around $254.5 million. Additionally, the company has over 94.6 million shares outstanding.

The post Why the Fleetwood (ASX:FWD) share price is rising this morning appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Today, the Fleetwood share price reached a 52 week high of $2.48. However, some profit taking has led its shares to slightly retreat to (at the time of writing) to $2.45, up 25%.

So, what did the company announce to cause the Fleetwood share price to push higher?

Performance update

In today's release, the company highlighted that for the period ending December 31, it has continued its strong cash generation.

Preliminary results for the H1 FY21 term indicated Fleetwood has performed above expectations due to the impact caused by COVID-19.

Unaudited earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) is predicted to jump between $15 million and $16 million. Previously, the company issued an EBITDA guidance of $12.8 million at its annual general meeting (AGM) held in November.

Strong cashflow generation is expected to net Fleetwood with a cash positive balance of $64 million. This comes after a first-dividend payment of $11.4 million that will be allocated to shareholders.

The board noted that it will reward investors with a dividend pay out ratio of 100% from its net profit after tax (NPAT) holdings.

The company is scheduled to release its half-year results on 25 February, 2021.

Let's take a look at Fleetwood's performance across the 3 business segments it operates in.

Accommodation solutions

In its accommodations solutions business, the Searipple Village in Karratha saw a recovery in occupancy rates early during the half. Major customer Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) renewed its tenancy contact for its workforce in December for 13 months.

Across to its Osprey Village, rooms remain fully booked, with the company holding a waiting list for potential tenants. Fleetwood said that the demand for its accommodation represents strength in the Port Hedland fly-in fly-out market.

Looking towards the second-half, the company noted that the strong performance will be unable to mimic its accommodation H1 earnings. This is because of rostering stability and additional village capacity at Karratha.

Building solutions

Despite a slow start to the first-half due to COVID-19 restrictions on building activity, the company rebounded later in the term.

Fleetwood secured two important contracts which boosted its order book to $140 million. The first includes a $41.5 million deal to manufacture and supply 460 modular cells for the Prison Infill Expansion Program in Victoria. The second, a $30 million project for Rio Tinto to upgrade its Ti Tree Rail Camp, located 170 kilometres south east of Karratha.

Fleetwood advised that the outlook for its building solutions is strong, and is well placed to benefit from anticipated Government stimulus spending.

RV solutions

Lastly, the RV solutions segment recorded a surge in monthly sales towards the back end of the first-half. The demand in domestic travel using an RV, away from large crowds and hotels, increased because of pandemic fears.

The company believes this market trend will continue to run into the second-half.

Words from the CEO

Fleetwood interim CEO, Andrew Wackett, reaffirmed the company's continued performance by stating:

The first half result is shaping up as being very pleasing and one that continues our improving operational performance.

All businesses have continued to face significant challenges during the global pandemic, and we are pleased at the way our Company and people have responded. Having three business units and three diverse revenue streams has certainly helped us as a Company to weather the impact.

We continue to generate strong cashflow and our new dividend policy, increasing payouts to 100%, demonstrates to our shareholders we will continue to exercise restraint with our capital management.

Across the business we continue to prioritise sustainably improving margins, increasing utilisation and reducing overheads.

Fleetwood share price summary

The Fleetwood share has gained almost 20% when comparing the last 12 months. The company's shares dipped to a multi-year low of $1.12 in March, before zooming higher on an upwards trajectory.

Based on the current share price, Fleetwood commands a market capitalisation of roughly $233 million.

The post Fleetwood (ASX:FWD) share price soars 10% following half-year results announcement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

For the past five years, Aveo has been transforming itself from a diversified property business into one focussed solely on the retirement sector. The intent behind the change in strategy seems to have been to create a leaner, more robust business model, but the market hasn't responded as positively as the company had hoped for. A softening property market has only compounded Aveo's woes, and its shares are now trading at their lowest point since 2013.

However, at Aveo's recent AGM, its CEO Geoff Grady flagged that the company was considering remixing its property portfolio through a disposal of some of its regional assets while expanding its developments in suburban Melbourne and Sydney. He also indicated that the company was considering capital partners from overseas as a means to grow their business.

This is what the update released to the market on Friday related to. While light on details, the update noted that there were a "significant number" of parties from Asia, North America and Australia who had indicated they would be interested in partnering with Aveo. Actual bids aren't due to be submitted to Aveo until January, and even then they are only indicative and non-binding – but the fact that Aveo has got a bunch of overseas parties willing to provide them with extra capital definitely helps with their potential growth prospects.

There are a number of reasons to be quietly optimistic about Aveo, especially if they have increased capital at their disposal to grow their business. The company delivered solid underlying profit growth for FY18, with NPAT up 17% to $127.2 million. Aveo's shares also currently trade at around a 50% discount to their net asset value per share, meaning they could represent good value.

I see Australia's ageing population trend as a potential source of long-term value to investors. The Australian Government's Institute of Health and Welfare projects that by 2057 22% of the population, or 8.8 million people, will be aged 65 and over. These shifting demographics will increase the need for healthcare, residential retirement facilities, certain financial products and services, and even tourism services.

This could be a boon for healthcare companies like Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH) and annuity specialists Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF). Even caravan companies like Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) and Apollo Tourism & Leisure Ltd (ASX: ATL) that appeal to the growing legions of "grey nomads" could be set to benefit over the longer term.

Aveo will have to do a fair bit more before I'm assured of its long-term investment value. At present, there is a little too much uncertainty around its FY19 earnings – in the same speech to the AGM in which the CEO provided an update on Aveo's strategic review he failed to confirm the company's FY19 EPS guidance. This doesn't inspire a great deal of confidence in the company's shareholders.

However, if Aveo is able to find some capital partners willing to fund the business' growth its fortunes could turn around very quickly.  I would say Aveo might at least be an interesting company to add to your watch lists for FY19.

The post Why Aveo Group (ASX:AOG) was among the big winners on the ASX on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four shares that have climbed more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are ending the week with a bang:

The BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) share price is up 2% to $34.30 after the mining giant announced the sale of its onshore assets in the United States for a total consideration of US$10.8 billion (A$14.6 billion) in cash. The market appears pleased with the price received and management advising that it expects to return the net proceeds from the transactions to shareholders. It intends to update the market on how it will do this when the transactions complete in October.

The Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) share price has zoomed almost 11.5% higher to $2.27 after successfully completing the institutional component of its capital raising. Fleetwood raised approximately $43 million through a placement and entitlement offer to fund the acquisitions of Modular Building Systems and Northern RV. Although the funds were raised at a significant discount of $1.80 per share, investors appear to be overlooking this due to management's belief that the acquisitions will be highly accretive to earnings.

The OceanaGold Corp (ASX: OGC) share price is up 3% to $4.03 following the release of its second-quarter results. The gold miner reported a 21% increase in revenue, a 45% lift in net profit, and a 45% improvement in its cash balance. It also increased its FY 2018 gold production guidance to between 500,000 ounces and 540,000 ounces. Previous guidance had been for production between 480,000 ounces and 530,000 ounces in FY 2018.

The Retail Food Group Limited (ASX: RFG) share price has climbed 9% to 44.2 cents. Investors have responded positively to news that it has cut its distributors from 16 to just 2. It has done this by tendering its entire distribution business, which is estimated to be worth between $100 million and $200 million a year. This appears to be part of the company's plan to cut costs and simplify its business. A good start, but there's still a long way to go.

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

Four shares that have not let that hold them back are listed below. Here's why they are ending the week on a high:

The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ASX: ANZ) share price has pushed almost 3% higher to $28.60 after the banking giant increased its buy back plans. All the big four banks are pushing higher today as investors look to take advantage of recent declines in the sector. While it isn't my first choice in the sector, I do think ANZ Bank is attractive at these levels.

The Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS) share price has climbed 3% to $3.35 after the fintech company announced a long-term contract with Legal & General Investment Management. The agreement with see the investment company implement Bravura's popular Sonata wealth management solution. With £983 billion of assets under management, this certainly is yet another stamp of approval for Sonata.

The Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) share price has continued its climb and is up a further 4.5% to $2.35. The shares of the provider of accommodation solutions and recreational vehicles have been on fire since it announced the sale of its loss-making caravan manufacturing business.

The HT&E Ltd (ASX: HT1) share price has pushed almost 5% higher to $2.48 after outdoor advertising rival APN Outdoor Group Ltd (ASX: APO) returned with an improved offer for its Adshel business. According to the release, APN Outdoor has offered $230 million in cash and 54.1 million APN Outdoor shares. This works out to be a total consideration of approximately $585 million. The HT&E board advised that it expects to receive more offers for the business.

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

Four shares that have climbed more than most today are listed below. Here's why they have raced higher:

The Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) share price has raced 4% higher to $31.79. With no news out of the gaming technology company today, I suspect this gain could be down to the weakening Australian dollar. As Aristocrat Leisure generates a large portion of its revenue in the United States, its already stellar profit growth could be given an additional boost through favourable currency movements. While I think it is approaching fair value now, I still see a lot of value in its shares for those that are prepared to buy and hold.

The APN Outdoor Group Ltd (ASX: APO) share price has stormed 12% higher to $6.56 after outdoor advertising giant JCDecaux made an unsolicited, non-binding and conditional acquisition proposal. According to the release, JCDecaux has offered to acquire 100% of the issued share capital of APN Outdoor at a price of $6.52 per share.

The Fastbrick Robotics Ltd (ASX: FBR) share price has surged 6% higher to 18 cents. This gain is likely to be attributable to an announcement out of the robotics company on Wednesday. That announcement revealed that the company has its eyes on disrupting the Mexican construction market. It has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Mexican developer GP Vivienda and the two parties will explore the possibility of pilot testing the Hadrian X bricklaying robot in the country.

The Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) share price has rocketed 11% to $2.16 after it agreed to sell its Coromal and Windsor Caravan brands and associated raw materials and finished goods stock to Apollo Tourism & Leisure Ltd (ASX: ATL). Shareholders appear to be relieved to see the back of this loss-making collection of brands.

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

Four shares that have fallen more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are ending the week in the red:

The A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price has fallen 5% to $10.20. Investors appear to have responded negatively to a note out of Citi yesterday which downgraded the fast-growing dairy and infant formula company's shares to a neutral rating. The broker appears to be concerned over reseller price reductions that it has seen.

The Bellamy's Australia Ltd (ASX: BAL) share price has continued its decline and is down a further 4% to $16.00. The infant formula company's shares have now fallen by over 16% since a2 Milk Company released its sales guidance. When the dust settles I feel this could be a buying opportunity for investors.

The Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) share price has fallen 4.5% to $2.09. After the market closed on Thursday Fleetwood released a shareholder letter advising that a general meeting of shareholders may soon be called by a substantial shareholder. This meeting is not supported by the board. It appears as though the disgruntled substantial shareholder is not happy with the way the company is being run and is seeking to appoint someone to the board.

The NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF) share price has tumbled 5% lower to $5.56. Today's decline is likely to be attributable to reports in The Australian that private hospital insurance coverage has fallen to its lowest level since June 2011. This follows a survey earlier this week by Roy Morgan which found that over 250,000 people decided not to renew their private health insurance in the 12 months to March 2018. Over half of those surveyed blamed costs for the reason behind their non-renewal.

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

Three small cap shares that are shining today are listed below. Here's why they are climbing:

The Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX: BBN) share price has pushed 5% higher to $1.41. Although the baby products retailer downgraded its earnings guidance yesterday amid margin pressure caused by the clearance activities of closing competitors, one leading broker has responded positively. According to a note out of Citi, the broker has upgraded Baby Bunting from a sell rating to neutral and lifted the price target on its shares to $1.50. The broker expects the company to gain market share in FY 2019. I think Baby Bunting is a great option for investors that are willing to stick with it through these short term headwinds.

The Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) share price has bounced back after yesterday's sizeable decline with a 4% gain to $1.98. On Tuesday the accommodation solutions and recreational vehicle company downgraded its FY 2018 underlying EBIT guidance to $5.5 million from "marginally ahead" of the $14.6 million it achieved in FY 2017. This was caused partly by ongoing losses from its Caravan Manufacturing business. Some investors appear to believe yesterday's selloff was overdone.

The Zenitas Healthcare Ltd (ASX: ZNT) share price is up 3.5% to $1.07 after the government pledged $1.6 billion over the next four years to support older Australians who want to stay at home instead of going into aged care. As a fast-growing home care and health services company, Zenitas could be positioned perfectly to benefit from this. I think Zenitas is one of the best small cap shares in the healthcare sector right now and the Federal Budget only makes it more attractive.

The post These 3 small cap shares are roaring higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Unfortunately, not all shares on the market have been able to follow the market higher today. Four shares which have dropped notably lower are listed below:

The Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX: BBN) share price has fallen almost 3.5% to $1.31 after the baby products retailer downgraded its earnings guidance due to the distressed trading of competitors and the liquidation of their stock. Baby Bunting now expects FY 2018 EBITDA to be in the range of $18 million and $20 million. Previous guidance was for EBITDA of around $23 million. I expect the company to return to growth in FY 2019 and think investors ought to consider buying on this weakness.

The Blue Sky Alternative Investments Ltd (ASX: BLA) share price has continued its decline and is down a further 5.5% to $2.36. On Monday the embattled asset manager surprised the market when it withdrew its guidance for FY 2018. In addition to this, yesterday's update revealed that the company has been charging fees on undrawn debt facilities.

The Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) share price has plunged over 16% to $1.89 after releasing an earnings update. According to the update, the accommodation solutions and recreational vehicle company expects full year underlying EBIT of approximately $5.5 million. Previous guidance has been for full year EBIT marginally ahead of the $14.6 million it achieved in FY 2017. Ongoing losses in its Caravan Manufacturing business are partly to blame.

The Murray River Organics Ltd (ASX: MRG) share price has tumbled over 18% to 27 cents after the organic products company downgraded its earnings guidance yet again. Murray River Organics has only been listed on the ASX for 18 months, but I've already lost count of how many times it has cut its guidance. Unsurprisingly it is trading well below its listing price of $1.30. In my opinion its shares are simply not investment grade.

The post Why these 4 ASX shares have dropped lower today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Two results which may have slipped under the radar today are summarised below. Here's why I think they are worth knowing about:

The Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) share price climbed 7% to $3.05 after the provider of accommodation solutions and recreational vehicles, parts, and accessories returned to profit. Fleetwood posted a 16% increase in revenue to $330 million and net profit after tax of $9.4 million. I felt this was an impressive turnaround from last year's loss of $11 million and can't say I'm surprised to see its shares charge higher.

The main driver of growth for the company was demand from the affordable housing sector. This was complemented by continued growth in education markets and sound working capital management. Although the company provided no formal FY 2018 guidance, management was confident enough in its outlook to declare a fully franked 5 cents per share dividend.

The Noni B Limited (ASX: NBL) share price climbed 5% to a multi-year high of $2.10 after the retailer posted a 187% increase in full-year revenue to $316.8 million. This strong top line result came courtesy of a ten-month contribution from the Pretty Girl business and continued strong growth in the rest of the Noni B business. Like-for-like sales grew 2.4% in FY 2017 thanks largely to a particularly strong performance in the second-half.

Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) came in at $22.9 million. This came in ahead of the earnings guidance of $20.9 million that management issued when it acquired the Pretty Girl business. Pleasingly, despite the competitive environment, management expects the company to generate a substantially higher financial result in FY 2018. In light of this, I continue to believe Noni B is one of the best investment options in the retail industry right now.

The post 2 ASX results you may have missed on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This brought the year-to-date return for the provider of accommodation solutions, and recreational vehicles, parts and accessories to over 36%.

Why have its shares rallied?

The key catalyst for this was a strong half-year result which saw net profit increase 165% to $3.3 million.

Furthermore, the recent announcement of a key supply agreement with Gateway Lifestyle Group (ASX: GTY) has also given its shares a boost.

The agreement will see Fleetwood supply and install modular homes to Gateway's residential communities for an initial term of two years. After which, Gateway has the option to extend the agreement by a further two to four years.

The post The Fleetwood Corporation Limited share price just hit a 52-week high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shareholders have done well, with shares issued at an offer price of $1.00 now trading at $1.37.

So what does Apollo do?

The tourism company began life in 1985 renting out recreational vehicles (RVs), but has now evolved into the manufacture, rental, sale and distribution of a range of RVs, campervans and caravans. That includes the exclusive rights to import Adria and Winnebago products in Australia and New Zealand.

Cashed-up middle-aged and retirement aged Australians are the company's primary source of customers. As the number of retirees increases (with higher levels of savings), this is expected to provide a tailwind for the company's products.

However, there are an estimated 200 companies involved in the manufacture of import of towable RVs (caravans) in Australia, including Jayco, Avan, JB Camper and Fleetwood Corporation Ltd (ASX: FWD).

It should be noted that despite the tailwind of an ageing population, Fleetwood's caravan business has struggled for many years and is not profitable. However, Apollo's primary campervan business may mean that only a small percentage of its customers would view Fleetwood's caravans as competition.

The good news is that Apollo is profitable and is expanding into the giant US market. It currently has two rental brands, and an RV fleet of 601 at the end of June 2016.

At the current price, Apollo's shares are trading on a P/E of ~16x FY2017 earnings of 8.53 cents, with an annualised forecast yield of 2.7%.

That appears reasonable with fellow travel and tourism operators Skydive the Beach Group Ltd (ASX: SKB) on a P/E of 25x, and Sealink Travel Group Ltd (ASX: SLK) on a P/E of 18x.

Foolish takeaway

Investors might want to have a read of the prospectus, add this company to their watchlist and keep an eye on news announcements. One of the key factors to watch will be to see how capital intensive Apollo's business is. Another major risk is that the founding shareholder will hold 65% of the company and therefore has a substantial say in what the company can and will do.

The post Should you buy shares in Apollo Tourism & Leisure Ltd? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Here are the key points from Fleetwood's result:

• Group revenue declined 18% to $301.9 million
• At the divisional level, revenue for the Accommodation and Recreational Vehicle divisions declined by 17.5% and 17.8% respectively
• Operating earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) fell 12% to $9.3 million
• At the divisional level, operating EBIT for the Accommodation division increased by 16.1%, while the Recreational Vehicle divisions experienced a drop of 229.7%
• The board elected not to pay a dividend citing "mixed trading conditions" but stated that they "intend to return to paying dividends as soon as practicable"
• Net debt was $55.9 million at balance date, however post year-end the company is debt free after the sale of the Osprey Village to the Western Australian Department of Housing

Outlook:

Fleetwood has begun to expand into the education and affordable housing markets in an attempt to broaden the use of its manufactured home products. These strategic moves include an exclusive supply agreement with affordable housing provider Gateway Lifestyle Group (ASX: GTY) and have also led to the group winning work with state Departments of Education.

On certain metrics, Fleetwood certainly looks cheap however this is not an uncommon scenario across the mining services sector.

One high profile fund manager that appears to have caught a falling knife is Paradice Investors which only recently became a substantial shareholder on Fleetwood's share register. As recently as August 10 the fund manager was purchasing shares which took its position to 6.8% of shares outstanding.

Picking the bottom is never easy, however it is possible that some of these "knives" are finally close to the floor.

The post Why the Fleetwood Corporation Limited share price is down 14% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Motley Fool contributor, Mitch Sonogan, is part way through a series of excellent articles, The Mining Investor's Handbook, which take a detailed look at the current state of mining. As a former industry insider with five years of operational work experience as an engineer on various mines in Australia, Mitch has a detailed knowledge of the industry. So far he has provided an overview of commodities and looked in depth at iron ore, gold, coal and aluminium.

Anyway, back to this week's news.

Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) provides its quarterly production report

Fourth-largest iron ore miner in the world, Fortescue Metals Group, shipped 42.4 million tonnes of ore in the June quarter, up 10% from the same period last year. The company's latest estimated breakeven price is US$39 per dry metric tonne (/dmt), compared to current prices of just over US$50/dmt. Fortescue is heavily indebted presenting another reason, aside from falling prices, to avoid the company.

Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) releases strong June quarterly report

Whilst the price of gold has fallen below US$1,100 per ounce this week, its lowest level for over five years, Australia's largest gold producer, Newcrest Mining, reported strong production and reduced costs for the June quarter. It produced 673,542 ounces in the period, up from 610,186 ounces in the March quarter. Perhaps more significantly, the company revealed that its All-in Sustaining Cost (AISC) fell from US$897 per ounce to US$789 per ounce between 2014 and 2015, a reduction of 12%. Some may see the operational improvements as reason to buy the stock, whilst others may be put off by the falling price of gold.

BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) presents its 2015 operational review

In what appears to be a trend in the sector, mining giant BHP Billiton announced that it has increased production in its key commodities whilst reducing costs. Unlike most of its ASX listed peers, BHP is a well-diversified resources company but pretty much all commodity prices are falling and so currently such diversification is of little value. Here are five key facts you should know about BHP's operations report.

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) releases its maiden quarterly report

In its first production report since it was spun off from BHP Billiton, South32 announced it has broken four new production records at sites for aluminium, manganese and coal. BHP divested the South32 assets earlier this year to focus on its key commodities and if resource prices improve then South32 could represent good value for investors. Personally, I think that miners require too much capital investment and are less sustainable than other types of businesses, but every stock is a buy at a certain price.

Other large-cap stories

Engineering firm Cimic Group Ltd (ASX: CIM), formerly known as Leighton Holdings, flagged a strong half-year profit result. The engineering sector has struggled recently thanks to its exposure to mining and so the result is particularly impressive.

Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) informed the market that it expects its financial year 2016 results to be up on 2015 at its annual general meeting. It stated that both its annuity-style and capital markets businesses contributed significantly more in the first quarter of 2016, compared to the same period last year.

Building materials company Boral Limited (ASX: BLD) guided $240 million to $250 million profit before significant items for the 2015 financial year up from $176 million last year.

Gaming and hospitality business Echo Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: EGP) announced that it has been selected by the Queensland government as preferred bidder for the Queen's Wharf Brisbane project, beating rival Crown Resorts Ltd (ASX: CWN).

Stories from the smaller end of the market

On Thursday, software company Infomedia Limited (ASX: IFM) announced that it expects net profit after tax to be $13.2 million to June 2015, up from $12.3 million in 2014.

Caravan and temporary accommodation manufacturer Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) announced that it has been awarded a contract to construct the Osprey Key Worker Village and will receive a government guaranteed income stream for 15 years.

Software developer Prophecy International Holding Limited (ASX: PRO) announced that normalised profit before tax will be $4.1 million this year, up more than 110% on last year.

IT consultancy Data#3 Limited (ASX: DTL) said on Wednesday that profit after tax will be $10 million to $11 million to June 2015, up more than 35% compared to 2014.

On Monday, branded dairy company A2 MILK FPO NZ (ASX: A2M) provided a market update showing that revenue is up 39% to NZ$154 million in 2015.

Training and education provider Academies Australasia Group Ltd (ASX: AKG) advised that although revenue was 43% higher in 2015 over 2014, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation are expected to be sharply down from $5.6 million to $2.3 million.

The post Did you miss the major news on the ASX this week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The company announced today that the Western Australian Housing Authority (WAHA) had purchased the Osprey village in Port Hedland from Fleetwood for $62.2 million. The company will continue to manage the village and receive an income stream for a term of 14 years.

Osprey village is around 80% occupied after being commissioned in March to May 2014.

This is great news for Fleetwood. The deal reduces the company's net debt to zero, and gives the company an ongoing income stream for many years.

Fleetwood still faces challenges with its Searipple Village in Karratha, although executed an agreement with Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) earlier this year so Rio could use up to 804 of the 1,326 rooms for up to 34 months.

The company may be on the comeback trail in another area too. Fleetwood signed a deal with Gateway Lifestyle Group (ASX: GTY) to become their exclusive provider of manufactured housing for Lifestyle's manufactured housing estates (MHEs) in Queensland and NSW.

It might be time to take a closer look at Fleetwood. Despite today's 20% rise, shares may still be cheap.

The post Fleetwood Corporation Limited soars 20% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Much of that is due to expectations that stockmarkets around the world will be swimming in loads of free money fairly soon. Well, Europe is expected to unleash quantitative easing this week to help its struggling countries generate some economic growth. That means more stimulus to get banks' lending, and companies striving for growth.

But that didn't stop these five companies from being sold off…

RCR Tomlinson Limited (ASX: RCR) fell 6.8% to $2.21. The construction and engineering company has gained 34% since December 9, after the company announced a buy-back program of up to $2 million shares on the market. Clearly the company believed its shares were cheap at the time after the company was sold off, despite producing a 22% increase in net profit in the 2014 financial year. While shares in RCR look cheap, it is still heavily exposed to the mining sector.

ASG Group Limited (ASX: ASZ) lost 4.7% to 61 cents and are now down 17% in the past 3 months. The IT management and consulting services company had a solid year in 2014, winning $200 million worth of new business and growing revenues by 5%. 76% of revenues is recurring, and this financial year should be a continuation of last year, according to the company.

Tiger Resources Limited (ASX: TGS) dropped 4.3% to 11 cents. The small copper miner with the Kipoi Copper Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has seen its shares fall 30% in the past five days and 73% since January 2014. Falling copper prices amidst strong oversupply is hampering the company, as is weaker Chinese growth.

Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) also fell 4.3% to close at $1.56, despite no news from the mobile village developer and caravan manufacturer. It's almost hard to believe that just two years ago, shares in Fleetwood were trading above $10, but falling utilisation of the Searipple village, and a complete drop off in caravan sales hammered the company. It remains to be seen whether Fleetwood can come back from here.

PAS Group Ltd (ASX: PGR) was another losing 4.3%, closing at 67 cents. The fashion retailer listed on the ASX in June 2014 and rapidly saw its shares fall from the issue price of $1.15 to 95 cents. The retailer is suffering from weak consumer sentiment, and in December announced that gross earnings were likely to be down between 10% and 15% in the 2015 financial year, compared to prospectus forecasts.

The post 5 ASX stocks crushed by the market today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

While none of our top 20 companies escaped the beating, only Santos Limited (ASX: STO) fell more than 5%, losing 8.6%, thanks to another drop in the oil price overnight.

Here are another 4 companies that were taken out the back and roughed up by investors.

Panorama Synergy Limited (ASX: PSY) dropped 12.3% to 28.5 cents. A volatile stock, shares in the high-tech company jump around like a yo-yo. Today was no different, given the company last updated investors on December 19, 2014. With no news, you can put today's move down to normal market volatility for Panorama.

Metcash Limited (ASX: MTS) fell 8.4% to $1.63 again on no official news from the company. The Australian Financial Review has suggested that short sellers are targeting retail stocks including large defensive stocks such as Woolworths Limited (ASX: WOW) and Metcash, amid a price war between the large supermarkets and weak consumer confidence before the February reporting season.

Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) lost 8.2% to close at $1.46. The theme continues of stocks being smashed, despite no news from the company. Fleetwood builds and manages portable accommodation villages for resource workers in Western Australia and Queensland, as well as building and selling caravans. Both sides of its business are being hammered, and shares have plunged 80% in the past five years. Add in rising debt levels, and this is one company to avoid.

Lynas Corporation Limited (ASX: LYC) fell 8.8% to 6.2 cents. The rare earths miner is likely to continue appearing in stocks moving heavily in both up and down directions, given its relatively low share price. For how long that will continue though, remains to be seen. The company desperately needs rare earths prices to rise, so it can make a profit and generate some cash flow to repay its debts. That appears highly unlikely and investors are more likely to do their dough investing now.

The post 4 stocks smashed on the ASX today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Australia's proportion of retirement-aged people is expected to increase by 50% over the next 35 years, which will put an unprecedented strain on the country's walking frame manufacturing capability, not to mention the hospital and healthcare sector.

In order to fund your immediate or future retirement, perhaps you should consider buying shares in companies that you will rely on as you get older. As money spent at the company may just end up back in your hands via dividend or share price growth.

Here are 4 top stocks to fund your retirement:

Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) had a tough year as the group's portable accommodation segment was hammered by the slowdown in mining construction and caravan sales have disappointed. The share price is down 43% already in 2014, which isn't a great sign, but if more cashed up baby boomers decide that a long caravan holiday is the way to spend their twilight years then Fleetwood is in position one locally.

As bad as it sounds, due to the aging population there are going to be more deaths annually than any time before. InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC) is Australia's, New Zealand's, and Singapore's largest funeral, cemetery and crematorium operator and is perfectly positioned to take advantage of this trend.

Japara Healthcare Ltd (ASX: JHC) is one of Australia's many aged care facility operators. The group owns 39 properties in Victoria, South Australia, NSW and Tasmania. Since listing earlier in 2014, Japara's share price has settled from some violent early price swings to stabilise at around $2.35. Aged care is becoming increasingly important for older Australians that are living longer than previously due to the wonders of modern medicine.

And finally, the biggest beneficiary of all this will likely be Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC). Ramsay is the largest private hospital operator in Australia and is perfectly placed to handle increased demand by expanding bed numbers in expectation of future demand.

Too Hot!

The concern for everyday investors is that these companies already appear a little expensive.

The post Could these 4 stocks help fund your retirement? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Another type of investor utilises a strategy of searching amongst the unloved and unpopular stocks for opportunities. While this strategy has its own set of risks and dangers, one of the benefits is that it usually forces an investor to put the consideration of value front and centre of their thought process.

The following four stocks could all be considered as unloved by the market at present and while they may not all be worth buying right now, they could all be worth keeping an eye on.

Fleetwood Corporation Limited (ASX: FWD) has hit a new 52-week low of $2 this week and is down around 35% in 2014. The new low comes a few days after stockbroking firm Hartleys was reported by The Australian Financial Review as having reaffirmed its "reduce" recommendation on the stock citing an FY 2015 outlook which remained challenging.

Like many stocks exposed to the mining services sector, things may not get better in a hurry for Fleetwood but it could all be reflected in the price by now.

Fund manager OC Funds recently reported that it had exited its position in Tox Free Solutions Limited (ASX: TOX) after the industrial services division reported results below expectations. The poor result was blamed on weak demand on the east coast from the infrastructure and commercial sectors. With Tox's activity levels on Barrow Island set to wind down as construction comes to an end, OC views the earnings outlook for FY 2015 as deteriorating.

With the share price having fallen nearly 22% this calendar year it looks like the market is losing faith.

Ainsworth Game Technology Limited (ASX: AGI) share price has fallen 23.5% so far in 2014. This is in stark contrast to its peer Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) which has gained 21%. With the gaming and poker machine provider reporting 18% growth in profits for FY 2014 and further revenue growth expected in FY 2015, this stock could be worth a closer look at current levels.

Shareholders in leading beverage producer Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (ASX: CCL) have watched as the share price in their company has plummeted 25% this year. It would appear a good bet that there will still be plenty of consumers drinking Coke in the future, making it 'simply' a matter of price as to when to buy this stock.

The post 4 cheap stocks worth a closer inspection appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.