Author: roymorgansocial

Samarco dam disaster swells BHP’s exceptional items bill

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 29-Jul-16

BHP Billiton has advised that its 2015-16 financial accounts will include an additional $US1bn worth of impairment charges associated with the Samarco iron ore tailings dam disaster in Brazil. Exceptional items in the resources giant’s full-year accounts are expected to top $US7b ($A9.4bn). BHP’s Samarco joint venture partner, Vale, has also revealed significant impairment charges as a result of the disaster. Resumption of production at Samarco is now unlikely to begin until 2017.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SAMARCO MINERACAO SA, VALE SA, SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE (BRAZIL)

The Domino’s effect, or why Eagle Boys stopped soaring

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Jul-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that almost five million Australians aged 14+ visited/ordered from a pizza shop at least once in an average four weeks during the year to March 2016, compared with 4.8 million in the year to March 2012. The survey also shows that the number of people who dined at Domino’s Pizza has risen from 1.8 million in an average four weeks to 2.3 million over this period. However, the number of Pizza Hut customers has fallen from one million to 745,000 and patronage of Eagle Boys has fallen from 852,000 to 336,000.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, PIZZA HUT AUSTRALIA, EAGLE BOYS DIAL A PIZZA AUST PTY LTD, CRUST GOURMET PIZZA BAR PTY LTD, PIZZA CAPERS

Asciano to delist after FIRB clears $9b takeover

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Original article by Jenny Wiggins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 28-Jul-16

The $A9.05 billion takeover of Asciano by a Qube Holdings-led consortium is expected to be approved by the Supreme Court of New South Wales on 28 July 2016. It has already received approval from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission and the Foreign Investment Review Board. The deal involves Qube and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners taking over Asciano’s Patrick container ports, while five international pension funds will assume the ownership of the Pacific National rail freight business.

CORPORATES
ASCIANO LIMITED – ASX AIO, QUBE HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX QUB, BROOKFIELD INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS LP, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIAN CONTAINER FREIGHT SERVICES PTY LTD, DP WORLD AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MONADELPHOUS GROUP LIMITED – ASX MND, MUHIBBAH ENGINEERING BHD, PACIFIC NATIONAL PTY LTD, PATRICK CORPORATION LIMITED

ANZ says credit card late fees won’t rise after court win

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 28-Jul-16

Andrew Watson of law firm Maurice Blackburn has warned that banks may increase their credit card late payment fees after the High Court dismissed a class action case. Watson says the Federal Government should step in to protect consumers from unfair fee increases, but the ANZ Bank says such intervention is unnecessary as the court has ruled that its fees are fair. The bank has also ruled out increasing its late payment fees, which it had reduced in 2009. The class action commenced in 2010.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, MAURICE BLACKBURN PTY LTD, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, IMF BENTHAM LIMITED – ASX IMF, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Morrison warns super rebels on backing rich

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Sally Patten
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 28-Jul-16

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison says people who have already exceeded the proposed $A500,000 lifetime cap on non-concessional superannuation contributions stand to benefit the most if the reform is scrapped. Morrison has also warned that unless the Government’s super reforms proceed and spending is reduced, the nation will face higher taxes, a bigger Budget deficit and a blowout in public debt. The Government may agree to exempt certain "life events" from the lifetime cap.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, THE ASSOCIATION OF SUPERANNUATION FUNDS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY

Hanson hits jackpot with $1.6m handout

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 28-Jul-16

More than $A60m in electoral funding has been allocated to political parties and independent candidates that gained more than four per cent of first preferences at the 2016 federal election. The Liberal Party and the Australian Labor Party were allocated $A23.4m and $A22.3m respectively, while the Greens have received $A6.6m. One Nation, which is led by controversial Senator-elect Pauline Hanson, has been paid $A1.6m and the Nick Xenophon Team will receive $A1.2m. The Palmer United Party will not receive any public funding.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, ONE NATION PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, PALMER UNITED PARTY, JUSTICE PARTY, KATTER’S AUSTRALIAN PARTY, CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY (FRED NILE GROUP), AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Fortescue to challenge Rio Tinto’s cost crown

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 22 : 28-Jul-16

Fortescue Metals Group’s iron ore production cost fell to $US13.10 per tonne in June 2016, and averaged $US14.31/tonne during the June quarter. Fortescue expects its C1 production costs to be within the range of $US12 to $US13/tonne in 2016-17, and the group expects its iron ore shipments to be between 165 million and 170 million tonnes for the year. Fortescue has significantly reduced its production costs in recent years, with unit costs averaging $US34.03 per tonne in 2014. Fortescue shares rose $A0.29 to $A4.41 on 27 July.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, VALE SA, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD

Rio Tinto staff brace for more restructuring, cutbacks

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 28-Jul-16

Rio Tinto has advised that Armando Torres will succeed Andrew Woodley as CEO of Oyu Tolgoi LLC on 1 August 2016. Rio Tinto is tipped to announce further changes throughout its business in the wake of its recent move to streamline its operations into four divisions. The group’s iron ore division is expected to be among those affected by the restructuring, particularly given the success of rival Fortescue Metals Group in reducing its production costs.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, OYU TOLGOI LLC, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP

Inflation no cause for ‘market hysteria’

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 28-Jul-16

Australia’s latest inflation data shows that consumer prices rose by just 0.4 per cent in the June 2016 quarter, while the annual inflation rate of one per cent is the lowest since 1999. The annual core inflation rate was 1.5 per cent, which is well below the Reserve Bank’s target range of 2-3 per cent. Financial markets now estimate that there is a 52 per cent chance that the central bank will reduce official interest rates in August. However, former board member Warwick McKibbin has cautioned against a hasty response to the inflation data.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, JAPAN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD

Why T. Rowe Price likes outdoor advertising

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Original article by Jessica Sier
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 28-Jul-16

APN Outdoor has benefited from renewed interest in out-of-home advertising, with its share price gaining more than 160 per cent in the last year. T Rowe Price’s Randal Jenneke says the growing shift from static to digital billboards is driving the strong growth in outdoor advertising. He notes that digital technology allows advertisers to target difference markets depending on the time of day. T Rowe Price is increasing its exposure to APN Outdoor, while UBS has also lifted its holdings in both APN Outdoor and oOh!media.

CORPORATES
APN OUTDOOR GROUP LIMITED – ASX APO, OOH!MEDIA LIMITED – ASX OML, T ROWE PRICE GROUP INCORPORATED, JUNKEE MEDIA PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD