Author: roymorgansocial

Woolies’ $2b Masters sale

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 : 19-Jan-16

Woolworths has decided to exit home-improvement market by selling or winding up the Masters chain. Investors welcomed the decision of the board, with Woolworths shares rising 4.3 per cent to $A23.65 on 18 January 2016. Masters generated operating losses of $A245 million to $A300 million a year.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LOWE’S COMPANIES INCORPORATED, COLES GROUP LIMITED, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, PERPETUAL INVESTMENTS, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED, STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, HOMEBASE, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, MITRE 10 LIMITED

Natural yoghurt: more than flavour of the month

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

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 48 per cent of Australians aged 14+ reported eating flavoured/fruit yoghurt in an average four weeks during the year to September 2015. This compares with 52 per cent in the year to September 2011. The proportion of Australians who ate natural/plain yoghurt surged from 36 per cent to 43 per cent over the same period. The survey also shows that the proportion of Australian men who ate natural yoghurt in an average four weeks grew from 30 per cent to 36 per cent between October 2010 and September 2015, while the proportion of women eating it rose from 41 per cent to 49 per cent.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Call for local news content ‘Stalinist’

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 18-Jan-16

The issue of local news coverage by regional TV broadcasters is under scrutiny as the Australian Governments prepares to pursue changes to cross-media ownership laws. WIN Corporation and Prime Media Group generally exceed their local content requirements, but the National Party has proposed that the regional broadcasters be subject to new requirements regarding local content in return for the abolition of the "reach rule".

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY

Resource raisings hit the pits

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 18 : 18-Jan-16

New figures show that Australian resources groups raised just $A2.41bn in new equity during 2015, which is the lowest level since 2005. There was a sharp decline in IPO activity in particular in the resources sector, while iron ore hopeful Waratah Resources is the latest company to shift its focus to the technology sector. Businessman Nathan Tinkler notes that investors are reluctant to support equity raisings in the resources sector at present.

CORPORATES
WARATAH RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX WGO, AUSTRALIAN PACIFIC COAL LIMITED – ASX AQC, BLOOMBERG LP, PENGANA CAPITAL LIMITED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD

Oldest station looks to lifestyle

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Original article by Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 25 : 18-Jan-16

Macquarie Media CEO Adam Lang says the group is reviewing the format of its 2UE radio station in Sydney, although he has declined to comment on reports that it will adopt a lifestyle and sponsored advertising format. It competes with ABC702 and fellow Macquarie Media station 2GB in the crowded Sydney market. Meanwhile, Macquarie is believed to be in talks with a potential buyer of 2CH, which must be divested under current media ownership laws.

CORPORATES
MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, RADIO 2UE SYDNEY PTY LTD, 2GB, RADIO 2CH PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, IINET LIMITED, MYOB GROUP LIMITED – ASX MYO, RAINE AND HORNE PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, 4bc use RADIO 4BC BRISBANE PTY LTD, MAGIC 882, 3AW SOUTHERN CROSS RADIO PTY LTD, MAGIC 1278, 6PR SOUTHERN CROSS RADIO PTY LTD

Security ‘key to foreign investing’

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Original article by Brendan Nicholson
The Australian – Page: 2 : 18-Jan-16

Offshore investment in key Australian infrastructure is under scrutiny in the wake of the Northern Territory Government’s deal to lease the Port of Darwin to a Chinese company. The Australian Strategic Policy Institu­te’s submission to a Senate inquiry argues that the existing procedures for assessing proposed foreign investments are insufficient. It adds that while Australia must continue to welcome offshore investment, the question of national security must be given precedence.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE, PORT OF DARWIN, LANDBRIDGE GROUP COMPANY LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMICS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

More oil, gas write-downs set to follow BHP’s lead

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 18-Jan-16

The downturn in the crude oil price prompted a number of Australian-listed energy groups to announce write-downs in 2015. The price of Brent crude oil closed at $US28.94 per barrel on 15 January 2016, coinciding with BHP Billiton’s announcement that its 2015-16 interim results are likely to include a $US7.2bn impairment charge on its oil and gas assets. Mark Busuttil of JP Morgan has forecast that Santos could announce a pre-tax write-off of about $A2bn.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, BEACH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX BPT, SENEX ENERGY LIMITED – ASX SXY, AWE LIMITED – ASX AWE, DRILLSEARCH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX DLS, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, BLOOMBERG LP, STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION, BG GROUP PLC, GLADSTONE LNG PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA PACIFIC LNG LIMITED

Yellen to meet PM as market turmoil reigns

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Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 18-Jan-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s first official trip to the US has coincided with a sharp sell-off on global sharemarkets and renewed concerns about the outlook for the Chinese economy. Turnbull’s itinerary will include meetings with President Barack Obama, Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen and Treasury secretary Jack Lew. In addition to issues such as the state of financial and commodity markets, Turnbull’s agenda will include the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INCORPORATED, DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE INDEX

Income growth lowest in 50 years

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 6 : 18-Jan-16

A report by Deloitte Access Economics forecasts 1.2 per cent growth in Australia’s national income in 2016, which is the lowest rate of growth since 1960. Factors such as a downturn in export prices and cost-cutting in the corporate sector is dampening growth in incomes, which will in turn affect government revenue. Deloitte notes that lower growth in wages will eventually negatively affect economic growth. The firm expects the domestic economy to expand by just 2.2 per cent in 2016 and 2.1 per cent in 2017.

CORPORATES
DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, MORGAN STANLEY AND COMPANY INCORPORATED, JP MORGAN AND COMPANY INCORPORATED, CITIGROUP INCORPORATED, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, WAL-MART STORES INCORPORATED, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Gordon’s top-up sealed Nine deal

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 23 : 18-Jan-16

Nine Entertainment Company will continue to receive 39 per cent of WIN Corporation’s advertising revenue under a six-month extension of their affiliation agreement. However, it is believed that Nine will receive an additional payment from Birketu, the private investment company of WIN owner Bruce Gordon. This will lift Nine’s share of its regional affiliate’s ad revenue to around 47 per cent.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, BIRKETU PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED