Author: roymorgansocial

NZ merger aims to create Kiwi BSkyB

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 10-Jun-16

The Australian shares of New Zealand-based Sky Network Television closed 20.5 per cent higher at $A5 on 9 June 2016, in response to a proposed merger with Vodafone NZ. Sky Network TV will hold a 51 per cent stake in the merged entity if the $NZ3.4bn ($A3.25bn) deal proceeds. The combined group would be similar to other so-called "triple play" providers such as BSkyB in the UK, offering pay-TV, broadband and telephone services. Macquarie notes that this may result in a lower customer churn rate.

CORPORATES
SKY NETWORK TELEVISION LIMITED – ASX SKT, VODAFONE NEW ZEALAND LIMITED, SKY PLC, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, COMCAST CORPORATION, PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT, LAZARD PTY LTD, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SKY ITALIA SPA, SKY DEUTSCHLAND AG, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED

Australian women and cricket: 200,000 not out!

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Jun-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 200,000 Australian women aged 14+ (two per cent) reported playing cricket either regularly or occasionally in the year to March 2016. This is 22 per cent higher than in the year to March 2015 (164,000). The survey also shows that the number of women aged 25-34 who play cricket on a regular or occasional basis has risen from 30,000 to 51,000. However, the number of women aged 35-49 who play cricket has fallen from 41,000 to 37,000. Overall, cricket is the 13th-most popular sport/exercise in terms of women’s participation.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Satisfaction with performance of industry super funds increases their lead over retail funds

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Jun-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 60.6 per cent of members of Australian industry superannuation funds were satisfied with their fund’s financial performance in the six months to April 2016. This compares with 56.9 per cent of members of retail super funds. Meanwhile, industry funds have increased their satisfaction level by 1.5 per cent over the last 12 month, while retail funds showed a small decline of 0.1 per cent. The survey also shows that satisfaction with super increases with the amount held, with both industry and retail funds scoring best among people with balances of more than $A700,000.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, CATHOLIC SUPERANNUATION AND RETIREMENT FUND, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING UNIONS’ SUPERANNUATION FUND, STATEWIDE SUPERANNUATION PTY LTD, AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, MOTOR TRADES ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA SUPERANNUATION FUND PTY LTD, REST SUPER PTY LTD

Locals fall short when it comes to annual reports

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 23 : 9-Jun-16

Research by KPMG shows that the annual reports of French companies average 310 pages, while Australian annual reports average just 155. Meanwhile, local companies’ consolidated financial statements average 70 pages, compared with 140 in Italy. However, the length of the remuneration reports of Australian companies tend to exceed the global average, comprising 28 per cent of their annual report. KPMG’s global survey also shows that just 14 per cent of Australian companies outline their longer-term business strategy in the annual report.

CORPORATES
KPMG

Gold’s M&A to scale down as sales dry up

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Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 9-Jun-16

Evolution Mining and Northern Star Resources are among the mid-tier gold producers that have benefited from the asset sales programs of larger global rivals in recent years. Evolution chairman Jake Klein cautions that future opportunities for acquisitions in the sector will become limited, with fewer large projects likely to be put up for sale. He says the focus is likely to shift to exploration and development, and he has called for greater collaboration between mid-tier and small gold miners.

CORPORATES
EVOLUTION MINING LIMITED – ASX EVN, NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX NST, OCEANAGOLD CORPORATION – ASX OGC, BARRICK GOLD CORPORATION, NEWMONT MINING CORPORATION, ASSOCIATION OF MINING AND EXPLORATION COMPANIES, INDEPENDENCE GROUP NL – ASX IGO, SIRIUS RESOURCES NL

ASIC and ASX could block Guvera float

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Original article by Sally Rose
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 9-Jun-16

The proposed IPO of streaming music provider Guvera is under scrutiny. Guvera aims to raise between $A40m and $A100m via the float, which would value the company at $A1.3bn. However, the Australian Shareholders’ Association has expressed concern that companies are permitted to list on the Australian sharemarket despite being unprofitable. Guvera booked revenue of $A1.2m in 2015 and a loss of $A81.1m.

CORPORATES
GUVERA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN SHAREHOLDERS’ ASSOCIATION, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AMMA PRIVATE EQUITY, DH FLINDERS PTY LTD

China investor calls for clarity in FIRB rules

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Original article by Sue Neales
The Australian – Page: 21 : 9-Jun-16

Chinese-backed Rifa Australia has acquired 14 farms in Australia in the last two years, and it is seeking approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board to acquire an additional six properties. However, Rifa’s David Goodfellow says the company has been advised that the FIRB will not resume processing applications until late July 2016. He says investors are concerned that there will be further changes to regulations governing offshore investment in the agricultural sector if the Coalition wins the federal election.

CORPORATES
RIFA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, S KIDMAN AND COMPANY PTY LTD, SHANGHAI PENGXIN GROUP COMPANY LIMITED, DAKANG AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ELDERS LIMITED – ASX ELD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, PARAWAY PASTORAL COMPANY LIMITED, CBRE PTY LTD, NORTH AUSTRALIAN PASTORAL COMPANY

Labor admits bigger deficits prompting AAA warnings

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 9-Jun-16

The Federal Opposition has conceded that the budget deficit will increase over the next four years under its 10-year economic plan. However, it expects to eliminate the deficit in 2020-21, and argues that its policies will have a much greater net benefit to the budget bottom line over a decade than the Australian Government’s plans to reduce the company tax rate. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has warned that the Opposition’s higher deficit over the next four years could jeopardise Australia’s triple-A credit rating.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Business rebuts tax-cut attacks

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 9-Jun-16

The heads of four Australian employers’ and industry groups have criticised opponents of the Federal Government’s proposal to progressively reduce the company tax rate over 10 years. They note that GDP will be boosted by one per cent on an ongoing basis as a result of the tax cuts, and argue that there is no justification for taxing businesses at a different rate depending on their size. The business leaders also warn that opposition to the tax cuts reflects broader anti-business sentiment.

CORPORATES
THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, EVOLUTION MINING LIMITED – ASX EVN, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, GRATTAN INSTITUTE, THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE LIMITED

Minority rule would knock confidence

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Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 9-Jun-16

The 2016 federal election remains too close to call, raising the prospect of a hung parliament or a minority government. Analysts warn that investor sentiment would be affected by a minority government, with Chris Nicol and Daniel Blake of Morgan Stanley noting that both business and consumer confidence were hit during the tenure of the previous minority government between 2010 and 2013. Analysis by Citigroup concludes that the Coalition is likely to win the election, although the Australian Labor Party could gain around 10 seats.

CORPORATES
CITIGROUP PTY LTD, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WHITEHAVEN COAL LIMITED – ASX WHC