Original article by John McDuling
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 24 : 20-Apr-16
Netflix has forecast that it will gain an additional two million subscribers in non-US markets during the June 2016 quarter. The group had added 2.4 million subscribers in international markets in the previous corresponding period. Netflix says it will be hard to match the surge in subscribers following its launch in Australia and New Zealand in 2015.
CORPORATES
NETFLIX INCORPORATED
Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Apr-16
A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 3,332,000 Australians aged 14+ (17 per cent) visited the LinkedIn website in an average four weeks in the year to December 2015 (up 60 per cent compared with 2012). Meanwhile, 3,197,000 visited Seek (up 28 per cent). Just over a million Australians visit both websites within the same four-week period, leaving each with over two million exclusive visitors. The survey also shows that 23 per cent of satisfied workers visit LinkedIn in an average month, while 17 per cent of them visit Seek. However, 36 per cent of dissatisfied workers visit Seek and 27 per cent visit LinkedIn.
CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, LINKEDIN LIMITED, SEEK LIMITED – ASX SEK, INDEED INCORPORATED, CAREERONE PTY LTD, MYCAREER.COM.AU, ADZUNA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ
Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 19-Apr-16
Telstra will retain a 6.5 per cent stake in China’s Autohome following a deal to sell 47.7 per cent of its stake to Ping An Insurance Group for $US1.6bn ($A2.1bn). Telstra CEO Andy Penn says the telco will adopt a "balanced approach" to using the proceeds of the sale, which may include a capital management initiative. Bradley King of Armytage says his preference would be a special dividend rather than an on-market share buyback. He adds that the telco may seek other investment opportunities in Asia.
CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, AUTOHOME INCORPORATED, PING AN INSURANCE COMPANY OF CHINA LIMITED, ARMYTAGE PRIVATE LIMITED, INVESTORS MUTUAL LIMITED, TRIBECA INVESTMENT PARTNERS PTY LTD, BEULAH CAPITAL PTY LTD, SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION
Original article by Gary Morgan, Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 18-Apr-16
Despite Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull receiving good publicity surrounding last week’s visit to China, today’s Morgan Poll shows the L-NP 50% (down 2.5%) dead-locked with the ALP 50% (up 2.5%) on a two-party preferred basis after Opposition Leader Bill Shorten called for a Royal Commission into the Banking & Finance industry – an idea which found widespread public support. The next three weeks leading into the Federal Budget will play an important role in determining whether the Turnbull Government can show leadership and live up to its image as the better economic managers. Malcolm Turnbull needs to convince Australian electors on "why" the construction industry needs to be subjected to additional regulation and the ABCC legislation must be passed; and why the banks are already sufficiently controlled by Government regulation (APRA, ASIC and the RBA). If not the ALP will continue to undermine the Government’s narrative and present itself as a credible Government in waiting.
CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA
Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 18-Apr-16
In mid-April L-NP support is 50% (down 2.5%) cf. ALP 50% (up 2.5%) on a two-party preferred basis following debate about the reintroduction of the ABCC (Australian Building & Construction Commission) and Labor calls for a Royal Commission into the Banking and Finance industries. If a Federal Election were held now the result would be too close to call and would likely result in a hung Parliament. Primary support for the L-NP is 40.5% (down 1.5%) with ALP at 32% (up 1%). Support for the Greens is up 1% to 14%, Nick Xenophon Team (NXT) 4.5% (unchanged; 22.5% in South Australia), Katter’s Australian Party is 0.5% (unchanged), Palmer United Party is 0% (unchanged) and Independents/ Others are at 8.5% (down 0.5%). The Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating is down this week – down 7pts to 99 with 40.5% (down 2%) of Australians saying Australia is "heading in the right direction" and 41.5% (up 5%) saying Australia is "heading in the wrong direction". This is the first time the Government Confidence Rating has dipped below 100 since Malcolm Turnbull became Prime Minister in mid-September 2015.
CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, KATTER’S AUSTRALIAN PARTY, PALMER UNITED PARTY, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET
Original article by Anne Hyland
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 19-Apr-16
Don Argus, a former CEO of National Australia Bank, says there is no need for a royal commission into the Australian banking sector. He has accused the Australian Labor Party of politicising the issue of corporate culture in the banking sector and described its proposal for a royal commission as a "political witch hunt". In his view, the sector is already well regulated, and any further scrutiny of the sector could alienate foreign lenders.
CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB
Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 19-Apr-16
The Australian Government is expected to make changes to thin capitalisation rules in order to curb multinational tax avoidance. The changes, to be announced in the May 2016 Budget, would reduce the amount of debt which multinational companies are allowed to take through their Australian operation from 60 per cent to 50 per cent. The reduction in the "safe harbour" debt-to-assets ratio could lead to accusations of discouraging foreign investment in Australia.
CORPORATES
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT WORKERS’ FEDERATION, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 6 : 19-Apr-16
The Australasian Convenience & Petroleum Marketers Association has welcomed the Senate’s passing of legislation to abolish the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal. The Australian Labor Party, which had established the tribunal in 2012, opposed its abolition, but the legislation was narrowly passed with the support of crossbench senators. The Federal Government intends to provide the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator with an additional $A4m in annual funding for safety initiatives in the trucking industry.
CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROAD SAFETY REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL, AUSTRALASIAN CONVENIENCE AND PETROLEUM MARKETERS ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL HEAVY VEHICLE REGULATOR, TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 19-Apr-16
Shares in Atlas Iron closed 17.4 per cent lower at $A0.019 on 18 April 2016. The iron ore miner’s chair, Cheryl Edwardes, has written to shareholders urging them to support a debt restructuring proposal, stressing that the group could go into voluntary administration if the deal does not proceed. Lenders would gain about 70 per cent of the company’s equity if the deal is approved by Atlas’s shareholders and lenders.
CORPORATES
ATLAS IRON LIMITED – ASX AGO, CGI GLASS LEWIS PTY LTD, PPB HOLDINGS PTY LTD, MOUNT GIBSON IRON LIMITED – ASX MGX
Original article by Amanda Saunders
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 19-Apr-16
BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto will shortly release their production data for the March 2016 quarter. Paul Young of Deutsche Bank forecasts that BHP’s output of its four main commodities will be flat or lower than previously. Glyn Lawcock of UBS says BHP may have to reduce its iron ore production guidance for 2015-16, as it may not meet its full-year forecast for its Pilbara operations for output of 270 million tonnes. He also expects Rio Tinto’s iron ore production to have fallen.
CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, SAMARCO MINERACAO SA, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG
