Author: roymorgansocial

What goes up … comes down a week later

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Original article by Barry FitzGerald
The Australian – Page: 31 : 17-Mar-16

Commodity prices and the share prices of mining companies have retreated after a brief rally in mid-March 2016, with the iron ore price shedding 18 per cent in seven trading days. However, Ricardo Aceves of FocusEconomics says analysts are generally upbeat about the outlook for commodity prices, with overall growth of 4.4 per cent by the December quarter. The consensus forecast is for crude oil to be 18 per cent higher by the fourth quarter, while the nickel price is expected to rebound by 12 per cent.

CORPORATES
FOCUSECONOMICS, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, PENGANA CAPITAL LIMITED, PENGANA GLOBAL RESOURCES FUND

Baileys beats Guinness for our favourite Irish beverage

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 15-Mar-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 527,000 Australians aged 18+ drank Baileys Irish Cream at least once in an average four weeks during the year to December 2015. This puts it well ahead of Guinness (237,000) and Jameson whiskey (186,000). The survey also shows that Baileys is especially popular in Western Australia, where 4.9 per cent of alcohol drinkers consume it at least once in an average four weeks, ahead of New South Wales (4.5 per cent). Tasmania has the country’s lowest Baileys consumption (2.6 per cent). Meanwhile, 5.2 per cent of Australian women consume Baileys at least once in an average four weeks, compared with 3.2 per cent of men.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Aussies spent $2.5 billion online in 2015 on tickets to shows, films and events – 40% was by women aged 35+

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 15-Mar-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that Australians aged 14+ spent an estimated $A2.5bn buying tickets to shows, movies and events via the internet in the year to December 2015. The 35-49 age group clicked to buy more than a billion dollars’ worth of entertainment tickets in 2015, while those aged 50+ bought $A810m worth of tickets online, which accounts for 32 per cent of the market. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age group spent $A354m on tickets online (14 per cent of the market), and those aged 14-24 spent $A279m (11 per cent of the overall market).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Murray Goulburn milks right formula

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Original article by Jared Lynch, Tim Binsted
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 16-Mar-16

Victorian dairy co-operative Murray Goulburn will invest between $A260m and $A300m on upgrading its infant formula factory in Koroit. The project will proceed after Murray Goulburn secured contracts to supply infant formula to US-based Mead Johnson and Indonesia-based Kalbe Nutritionals. The deal with Mead Johnson will result in the US company selling Murray Goulburn’s products to countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

CORPORATES
MURRAY GOULBURN CO-OPERATIVE COMPANY LIMITED, MG UNIT TRUST – ASX MGC, MEAD JOHNSON, KALBE NUTRITIONALS

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence: Back to recent highs, up 1.6pts to 116.4

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 15-Mar-16

The ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rating for Australia rose 1.4 per cent to 116.4 in the week ended 13 March 2016, building on the 3.1 per cent bounce in the previous week. Confidence levels are now back to the highs seen in December, with the negative impact from financial market volatility in January now fully reversed. The subindex for "personal financial situation in the next 12 months" rose by 5.4 per cent to its highest level seen since October 2009. However, the subindex for "economic outlook in the next 12 months" fell 0.4 per cent.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Shorten makes his pitch on tax take

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Original article by David Crowe, Sarah Martin
The Australian – Page: 4 : 16-Mar-16

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has told the National Press Club that superannuation and negative gearing tax concessions should be reduced, with the savings redirected to areas where more spending is needed. Shorten also stressed the Australian Labor Party’s commitment to achieving full employment, which he defines as a jobless rate of five per cent. Labor will release a report on issues such as social services reform, inequality and unemployment on 16 March 2016.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE

Dick Smith customers get ‘opt-out’ offer

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 16-Mar-16

Kogan’s acquisition of Dick Smith Holdings’ online business includes a database of about one million members of its customer loyalty program. Ferrier Hodgson, acting as receivers and managers of Dick Smith, has advised the failed group’s customers that they must request the removal of their personal details from the database by 22 March 2016 if they do not want to receive offers from Kogan. The company’s founder, Ruslan Kogan, plans to undertake a $A300m IPO.

CORPORATES
DICK SMITH HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX DSH, KOGAN TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD, FERRIER HODGSON AND COMPANY, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH

Corrigan’s full circle as Qube takes ports

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Original article by Andrew White, Gretchen Friemann
The Australian – Page: 19 &20 : 16-Mar-16

Ports and rail group Asciano has recommended that shareholders accept a takeover bid led by Qube Holdings and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners. The $A9.05bn deal will result in Asciano being broken up, with Qube and Brookfield set to pay $A2.92bn for the Patrick container terminals business. A consortium of international investment funds will buy the bulk of Asciano’s assets, including the Pacific National rail freight business. Qube chairman Chris Corrigan was CEO of Patrick Corporation when it was acquired by Toll Holdings in 2006.

CORPORATES
ASCIANO LIMITED – ASX AIO, QUBE HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX QUB, BROOKFIELD INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS LP, PATRICK CORPORATION LIMITED, PACIFIC NATIONAL PTY LTD, TOLL HOLDINGS LIMITED, CANADA PENSION PLAN INVESTMENT BOARD, GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS, CHINA INVESTMENT CORPORATION, GOVERNMENT OF SINGAPORE INVESTMENT CORPORATION PTE LTD, BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, QATAR INVESTMENT AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN AMALGAMATED TERMINALS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSBIL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED, NATIONAL FARMERS’ FEDERATION LIMITED

Lower taxes to wait for spending cuts

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 5 : 16-Mar-16

Treasurer Scott Morrison has indicated that the Australian Government’s May 2016 Budget will include a reduction in superannuation tax concessions. However, he has warned that this measure will not be sufficient to finance a significant income tax cut. Morrison says a reduction in government spending rather than increasing other taxes is the best strategy in both the short- and long-term for reducing taxes.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Fortescue shrugs off ratings hit

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 20 : 16-Mar-16

Shares in Fortescue Metals Group closed just 1.55 per cent lower on 15 March 2016, following a decision by Moody’s to downgrade the iron ore producer’s credit rating. In contrast, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto shares both fell by 3.4 per cent. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley has reduced its share price target for Fortescue from $A2.10 to $A1.90 and downgraded its recommendation on the stock to "underweight".

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO