Author: roymorgansocial

Roy Morgan Magazine Readership and Cross-Platform Audiences for December 2015

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Feb-16

Roy Morgan Research’s latest Australian Magazine Readership survey shows that 12,219,000 Australians 14+ read the latest issue of at least one print magazine on average in the year to December 2015. This is 1.9 per cent lower than the previous year. "Coles Magazine" remained the most widely-read print magazine during the period, with an average readership of 2,994,000 per issue (an increase of 8.1 per cent). Meanwhile, a number of titles recorded an increase in total cross-platform audiences, including "The Monthly" (up 13.4 per cent to 263,000), "Women’s Health" (up 7.7 per cent to 435,000), and "Open Road" (up 1.5 per cent to 1,033,000).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Nick Xenophon Team (NXT) increases support in South Australia while L-NP well in front in NSW and ALP holds solid lead in Victoria

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 3-Feb-16

An SMS Morgan Poll on State voting intention, which was carried out from 29 January to 1 February 2016, has found that support for South Australia’s L-NP Opposition has fallen by one per cent to 53 per cent on a two-party preferred basis. Meanwhile, 20.5 per cent of the state’s electors support the Nick Xenophon Team (NXT), an increase of 2.5 per cent since early December 2015. In Victoria, support for the ALP Government on a two-party preferred basis is steady at 53.5 per cent, while Daniel Andrews’ rating as "Better Premier" has fallen by 1.5 per cent to 62.5 per cent. Support for the L-NP Government in New South Wales has fallen by one per cent to 59.5 per cent, and Mike Baird’s rating as "Better Premier" has eased 0.5 per cent to 72 per cent.

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

Victoria to ‘waste’ smart power meters

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Feb-16

The Victorian Government has decided that households will be able to choose to be placed on flexible electricity tariffs. However, Tony Wood of the Grattan Institute warns that the "opt-in" policy will result in a low take-up rate for the flexible tariffs scheme, which offers lower electricity rates in off-peak periods. He adds that the decision means Victorian households will not gain most of the benefits of the state’s $A2bn smart meter rollout.

CORPORATES
GRATTAN INSTITUTE, VICTORIA. DEPT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, JOBS, TRANSPORT AND RESOURCES, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY REGULATOR, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS

Less popular surgery could hurt

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Original article by Tim Binsted
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 4-Feb-16

Figures from Medicare indicate a decline in the growth rate of certain medical procedures. The number of surgical, obstetric and diagnostic procedures increased by 2.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2015, compared with the four-year average growth rate of 5.1 per cent. This trend may affect investors’ confidence in Ramsay Health Care and Healthscope.

CORPORATES
RAMSAY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX RHC, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, UNITING CARE, MACQUARIE SECURITIES PTY LTD, ST JOHN OF GOD HEALTH CARE INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA

Blackstone measures Masters as retailers weigh up sites

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Original article by Catie Low
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 4-Feb-16

US private equity firm Blackstone Group has declined to comment on speculation that it may seek to acquire either the Masters Home Improvement business itself or its portfolio of stores. Meanwhile, Costco and Ikea are among the big-box retailers that are believed to be considering taking over some of the Masters stores, while Bunnings could potentially acquire about 25 outlets. David Errington of Bank of America Merrill Lynch estimates that Woolworths could recover around $A1bn from divesting its home improvement assets.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, THE BLACKSTONE GROUP LP, COSTCO WHOLESALE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, IKEA TRADING PTY LTD, SPOTLIGHT GROUP HOLDINGS PTY LTD, SPOTLIGHT STORES PTY LTD, ANACONDA STORES PTY LTD, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LOWE’S COMPANIES INCORPORATED, TPG CAPITAL LP, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, BLACKSTONE REAL ESTATE ADVISORS LLC

NAB tips unit prices to fall

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Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Feb-16

National Australia Bank’s latest quarterly survey of the housing market suggests a rise of one per cent in house prices for 2016. Apartment prices are expected to fall by 1.2 per cent. Houses in capital cities experienced average price growth of 7.8 per cent in 2015. The survey is based on the responses of 250 real estate professionals, fund managers, property owners and investors.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB

Oil, gas jobs on the skids

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 20 : 4-Feb-16

A survey of oil and gas industry executives by Norwegian consulting firm DNV GL shows that nearly 75 per cent of respondents expect the crude oil price to remain weak for some time. Meanwhile, 31 per cent indicated that they will shed staff in 2016 to reduce costs, compared with 25 per cent a year ago. The survey also found that 74 per cent of companies with a capitalisation of at least $US5bn intend to reduce their capital expenditure in 2016.

CORPORATES
DNV GL, EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION, BP PLC, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, BEACH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX BPT, DRILLSEARCH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX DLS

Tweak to BHP dividend won’t cut it, says S&P

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 4-Feb-16

Standard and Poor’s recently downgraded BHP Billiton’s credit rating to "A", and analyst May Zhong says a minor reduction in its dividend will not be sufficient to avert a further downgrade. Zhong has declined to specify how large the dividend reduction would need to be, but notes that other factors also contributed to the downgrade. BHP is under pressure to abandon its progressive dividend policy when its 2015-16 interim results are released on 23 February 2016.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Why BHP, Rio fear Sanders

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 4-Feb-16

The future of the proposed Resolution copper mine joint venture between BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto could depend on the outcome of the 2016 US presidential election. The mine’s development is opposed by Senator Bernie Sanders, who is seeking nomination as the Democratic Party’s candidate. He has narrowly lost the Iowa caucus to Democrats frontrunner Hillary Clinton, after previously being regarded as having little chance of being a contender for the party’s nomination.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES)

ASX loses $32b in worst day of 2016

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Original article by Stephen Cauchi
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 4-Feb-16

The Australian sharemarket retreated on 3 February 2016, with the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 2.3 per cent to close at 4,876.8. A continued decline in the price of Brent crude oil weighed on energy stocks and reduced the market’s capitalisation by $A32bn. The Commonwealth Bank was 2.9 per cent lower at $A75.73, BHP Billiton eased 4.4 per cent to finish at $A14.27 and Liquefied Natural Gas fell 8.5 per cent to end the session at $A0.59.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS LIMITED – ASX LNG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, KAROON GAS AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX KAR, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, MORGANS FINANCIAL LIMITED, BP PLC, EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION, STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION, CLYDESDALE BANK PLC, YORKSHIRE BANK PLC, ORGANISATION OF PETROLEUM EXPORTING COUNTRIES, WORLD BANK, BANK OF JAPAN, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX, HANG SENG INDEX, NIKKEI 225 INDEX, SHANGHAI COMPOSITE INDEX