Market Matters Q&A

Updated thoughts on Aristocrat Leisure (ALL)

Hi James and Team
Can I have your current view on Aristocrat.
Today is 13/5/25 – ASX200 to open up 1%
Early April I made a choice between buying CAR ($31.50)and ALL($61.50). I went with ALL- while both stocks are up from those levels – Aristocrat is up 9% since purchased and CAR is up by 17%. Today ALL at the moment is $66.99 -3 and CAR is $36.84 +1.52 on a very bullish trading day. I know they are different type of stocks but LNW (light & Wonder) is trading $139 +$7.04 (+5.33%) today. Any reason why Aristocrat is not trading higher on a day like today?
regards

Debbie

Champion Iron (CIA)

Hi James,

With China & US Trade (tariffs) appearing to ease and the stimulus underway, I would appreciate your thoughts on Champion Iron (CIA). Its SP has collapsed and represents a Buy from many Analysts covering the stock. Chinas demand for steel is the question going forward.

As always, your sound commentary is much appreciated.

Richard

RPMGlobal Holdings Ltd (RUL) Update

Hi MM,

Can you please provide your updated views on RUL following its 13.05.25 costs update; and whether you consider current share price levels a good entry or top-up point?

Thanks,

Darren

Laserbond Ltd (LBL)

Hi team, I would like your view on LBL, Laserbond. It is a microcap so probably largely below your radar but over 10 years it has a pretty strong record (having stalled somewhat over the last 5 with the 2024 year not so good). The share price has crashed and now looks to be very good value to me. Your stock report is lukewarm at best and you rate its fundamentals at 2/10. Am I missing something? Regards Jeremy

Jeremy

Gold as a “hedge”.

Hi

You commented in an answer to a question last week that ” Central banks are buying gold as an alternative to the $US as a hedge against geopolitical risk, inflation, and currency instability”. How does this hedge function work? Is it simply that gold can always be sold quickly and easily for cash if the stuff hits the fan with inflation, geopolitical issues etc and the seller of the gold wants to get cash quickly.

The price of gold doesn’t always move in a straight line so it’s not like you can rely on x ounces of gold being worth $x at a particular time in the future, and it doesn’t pay any interest either so the holder can’t guarantee that they’ll make money simply by buying and holding.

Thanks, Carl

Carl

ASX SPI Futures

In your Friday morning podcast you mentioned that “investors get set via futures before they backfill”. Could you explain this a little more please. I have often noticed – regularly – that our futures will be up and the market open strong, but this quite often fades throughout the day. I always thought it was because as our market is coming to the days end, then the big money looks towards US futures and follows their lead (even though it is 2am in New York).
Is it more a case of big money buying futures whilst the ASX market is closed, then selling futures throughout our trading day and swapping that money into the underlying holdings?

Paul

Xero (XRO), would you buy now if you didn’t hold?

Thanks MM for your regular updates and insightful commentary.
I bought Xero sometime ago on a MM recommendation but sold last year after a reasonable increase. My logic at the time was that I thought the price may plateau or drop but the opposite has happened with very strong results lately. If you weren’t holding now would XRO be a buy?
Regards
Peter

Peter

Staying logged in

Hi MM,

I use the MM website daily on both my computer and phone. Despite ticking “remember me” when logging in, I am logged out of the site on both mediums on a regular basis. Often, I am trying to access the site in a hurry among other work, and have to log back in first.

Is it possible to change your settings so that subscribers are either logged out less frequently or not at all unless they choose to log out? Some sites I use effectively never log you out or only sparingly.

Thanks,

Darren

Darren

Franking credits

While I understand what franking credits are, I do not understand the statement “Company XYZ has some financial flexibility because it is sitting on a pile of franking credits.”

Franking on a dividend is tax on that dividend that is paid to the Government. When you receive a franking credit refund, it is a tax refund that comes from the Government, not from a company. So, what is the advantage to a company that is “sitting on a pile of franking credits” since the franking is remitted to the Government.

Gary

Coronado Global Resources (CRN)

Hi James,

Could you provide an update on Coronado currently held in Emerging Markets please. Your Share Price Outlook and Operations Funding capacity given the Rainfall interruptions plus other issues impacting production and low market prices realized.

Richard