Author: roymorgansocial

Coalition’s budget gain disappears

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 15-Jun-15

Support for the federal Australian Labor Party on a two-party preferred basis has risen to 53 per cent in June 2015, according to a Fairfax/Ipsos poll. Labor’s primary vote has increased by two per cent to 37 per cent, while the Coalition’s primary vote is down three per cent at 40 per cent. Meanwhile, the approval rating of Prime Minister Tony Abbott is down two per cent at 40 per cent, while the rating of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is steady at 41 per cent.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, IPSOS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Rupert Murdoch to stand down as CEO of 21st Century Fox, son James to succeed

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Original article by
ABC News – Page: Online : 12-Jun-15

21st Century Fox has advised that James Murdoch will replace Rupert Murdoch as CEO of the US media group later in 2015 or in 2016. Rupert Murdoch will stay in the role of executive chairman, with Lachlan Murdoch as co-chairman. There has also been media speculation that Chase Carey will also stand down as president and COO of 21st Century Fox. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-12/rupert-murdoch-to-stand-down-as-ceo-of-21st-century-fox/6540286

CORPORATES
21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, FOX NEWS, CNBC, MSNBC, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SKY PLC, DOW JONES AND COMPANY

Television keeps pretenders at bay as king of screens

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 12-Jun-15

A new report shows that Australian consumers still prefer to watch video content on TV rather than mobile devices or PCs. The Australia Multi-Screen Report indicates that Australians typically watched more than 89 hours of TV each month in the last year, compared with just over 93 hours previously. The average amount of time Australians spend each month watching video content on a computer device fell slightly in the last year. The report also shows that the 65+ age group tends to watch the most TV, while those aged 13-17 watch the least.

CORPORATES
OZTAM PTY LTD, THE NIELSEN COMPANY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, REGIONAL TAM PTY LTD

Business in victory over forced leave

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 12-Jun-15

Australia’s Fair Work Commission has ruled that employers are entitled to require an employee covered by an industrial award to take annual leave if they have at least seven weeks of unused leave. Meanwhile, workers who have at least four weeks of accrued leave will be entitled to cash out two weeks’ leave. The Commission noted that cash-out provisions are included in many enterprises agreements. The ruling has been welcomed by employers’ groups, but the ACTU says it will disadvantage many people on low wages.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

Pressure to relax tax hit on foreigners

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 12-Jun-15

Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and the Philippines have agreed to participate in the Asia Region Funds Passport initiative. Australia’s Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg hopes to convince Japan to sign up as well. However, Australia may come under pressure to reduce the withholding tax rate on the income of foreign investors, amid concerns that it is a deterrent for offshore investors. The Financial Services Council advocates reducing the tax from 15 per cent to five per cent for investments made via the Funds Passport.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION, MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GROUP INCORPORATED, JAPAN. FINANCIAL SERVICES AGENCY, NIKKO ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS

GenesisCare in no rush over billion-dollar IPO

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Original article by Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 12-Jun-15

Private equity-owned GenesisCare operates 25 cancer treatment facilities in Australia, and is keen to pursue growth domestically and internationally. MD Dan Collins says the group is considering a range of options, including an IPO, although he says GenesisCare is in no hurry to list on the sharemarket. GenesisCare posted EBITDA of $A46.4m in 2013-14, with revenue of $242.5m for the financial year.

CORPORATES
GENESIS CARE PTY LTD, KOHLBERG KRAVIS ROBERTS AND COMPANY, KKR AND COMPANY LP, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGISTS, GREENSTONE LIMITED, HOLLARD INSURANCE GROUP, GREAT BRITAIN. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, RAMSAY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX RHC

Green, herbal or regular: what’s your cup of tea?

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Jun-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 42 per cent of Australians aged 14+ bought tea of any kind in an average four-week period during the year to March 2015. In contrast, 45 per cent bought coffee in an average four weeks. The survey also shows that 35 per cent of Australians purchased regular tea, well ahead of green tea (11 per cent) and herbal/fruit tea (eight per cent). Analysis by age shows that just 15 per cent of Australians under the age of 25 buy regular tea in any given four weeks, compared with 54 per cent of those aged 65+. This trend is also evident for green and herbal/fruit varieties of tea.

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ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Tough times present high-quality opportunities, says Clime

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Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 12-Jun-15

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index rebounded to 5,557 points on 11 June 2015, having fallen below the 5,500-point level earlier in the week. Clime Asset Management’s Clime John Abernethy notes that the local market is now at its level of mid-2014, and says some stocks now offer value. Abernethy favours National Australia Bank, Telstra, Woolworths, Wesfarmers and CSL. He cites factors such as healthy earnings, strong dividends and expectations of a double-digit rate of return for each of these stocks in the next year.

CORPORATES
CLIME ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, EVIDENTE, MONEY MATTERS FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS PTY LTD

Competition concerns over TPG bid for iiNet

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Original article by David Ramli
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 12-Jun-15

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has postponed a decision on TPG Telecom’s takeover bid for iiNet until 20 August 2015. The ACCC has expressed concern that the $A1.56bn deal may result in a significant reduction in competition in the broadband sector. It has also suggested that the deal could result in an increase in the cost of internet access and reduced customer service for clients of the merged entity.

CORPORATES
TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, IINET LIMITED – ASX IIN, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTAR UNITED COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED

Fitch revises ratings for BHP, Rio

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Original article by Rose Powell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 12-Jun-15

Fitch Ratings has maintained BHP Billiton’s "A+" credit rating, but the resources group’s long-term issuer rating has been downgraded from "stable" to "negative". The firm has cited factors such as a likely decline in BHP’s free cash flow following the demerger of South32. Meanwhile, Fitch has retained Rio Tinto’s "A+" rating and upgraded the group’s outlook from "negative" to
"stable". Fitch expects the price of iron ore to average $US50 per tonne in 2015-16.

CORPORATES
FITCH RATINGS LIMITED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, ANGLO AMERICAN PLC