Sharesight20 April top 20 trades on ASX & NZX

Welcome to the April 2018 edition of the Sharesight20 monthly trading snapshot (click here for last month’s Sharesight20), where we look at the top 20 trades on both the ASX and NZX markets among the Sharesight userbase during the current month, and dig a little deeper into the news behind these movements.

Let’s dive into April’s top trades.

Sharesight20ASX April Snapshot

After slipping to 5th in our #Sharesight20ASX snapshot last month, a2 Milk Limited (ASX: A2M) reclaimed the top spot in April. The finance sector has slid in this month’s rankings, with Insurance Australia Group (ASX: IAG) the highest placed, and the 9th most traded share by the Sharesight userbase. Some of the other top highlights include:

a2 Milk Company (ASX: A2M)

• Two-child policy in China expected to be a tailwind for a2 Milk
• Announced plans to expand into South Korea through a sales and distribution deal with local pharmaceutical giant Yuhan
• Shares fell 12% after rival Nestle announced plans to enter the Chinese market

Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS)

• Is Telstra now a buy after falling 40% in 3 years to a near 7 year low?
• Telstra is getting into the flying car business through a startup in it’s Muru-D incubator
• Received some blowback from the communication workers union over proposed changes to long service leave
• Was caught-up in a privacy scandal after giving the Australian Bureau of Statistics mobile phone location data for a study on population movement in Canberra
• Telstra’s executive director of communications, Jason Laird, announced he is departing for a new role at National Australia Bank
• Telstra ordered to pay $10 million after action by the ACCC after misleading billing charges
• Turned over 400th base station under Mobile Black Spot Program

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

After solely listing on the ASX, Xero continues to be among the most heavily bought share on the ASX by the Sharesight userbase.

• Added Dale Murray as a non-executive director to Xero’s board
• Launched phased two of its ‘beautiful business’ campaign
• Approached 3 year highs in April
• Launched a new podcast series with News Limited targeting the SME market
• Rival MYOB's $180m acquisition of Reckon delayed again with extended ACCC probe

Blue Sky Limited (ASX: BLA)

• Shares were hit hard after Glaucus Research Group released a report into Blue Sky’s Alternative Investment Fund
• Blue Sky's board drafted in Greenhill's bankers and Freehills' lawyers to help deal with issues around Glaucus Research Group’s report
• Rob Shand quit as head of Blue Sky amid growing turmoil surrounding the firm

Insurance Australia Group Limited (ASX: IAG)

• With 40% of its revenue dependent on motor vehicle owners, IAG released research into autonomous vehicles, concluding that fully autonomous vehicles and were ‘decades away’
• Medium-term targets of at least $250m in cost savings and 10% growth in earnings per share were reiterated in updated guidance
• Announced plans to sell IAG’s South East Asia business in $500 million deal

Sharesight20NZX April Snapshot

Auckland International Airport (NZX: AIA)

• Drone scare that delayed Auckland Airport flights turned out to be balloon
• NZ Commerce Commission is investigating whether the airport is justified in taking an extra $47 million over the next five years
• Auckland International Airport: “the profit is justified”
• New Zealand and Australian airlines gather forces to take on Kiwi airports over prices
• AIA passenger numbers up 9% in March

Genesis Energy Ltd (NZX: GNE)

• Announced former ASB Bank CEO Barbara Chapman is joining its board
• New tools for energy consumers, refined from a year-long trial in the south Wairarapa, are being rolled out nationally
• A Government review into the electricity sector appears weighted against any major changes to the market

Heartland Bank Limited (NZX: HBL)

• Heartland Bank is still in the running to buy UDC from ANZ despite a need to raise capital

Pushpay Holdings Ltd (NZX: PPH)

• Announced they had doubled total revenue to $70 million in last 12 months
• Despite annualised committed monthly revenue falling 19%

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Important Disclaimer. We do not provide tax or investment advice. The buying of shares can be complex and varies by country. You should seek tax and investment advice specific to your situation before acting on any of the information in this article.

FURTHER READING

• Blog – How much money can Sharesight save you?
• Blog – 7 reasons why Sharesight is better than a spreadsheet