Author: roymorgansocial

AirAsia has high hopes

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Original article by Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 13-Mar-15

AirAsia X is expanding its Australian operations. The airline’s founder Tony Fernandes said on 12 March 2015 that the carrier’s Australian business will be in a better financial position within six months. The airline lost $A128 million before tax in 2014. Fernandes said more flight frequencies will be added to Australia in 2015

CORPORATES
AIRASIA X SDN BHD, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, GARUDA INDONESIA, AIR NEW ZEALAND LIMITED – ASX AIZ, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, JETSTAR AIRLINES PTY LTD, LAN CHILE AIRLINES, CHINA AIRLINES, MALAYSIAN AIRLINE SYSTEMS

IFM snares US tollroad for $10b

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Original article by Jenny Wiggins, Anthony Macdonald
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 20 : 13-Mar-15

IFM Investors CEO Brett Himbury has described the Indiana Toll Road in the US as a "fantastic investment" for the group. He is upbeat about the outlook for the US economy, and notes that the 253km toll road’s revenue is likely to remain strong regardless of the strength of the economic recovery. IFM has paid $US7.5bn ($A10bn) for a 66-year lease to operate the toll road, which was placed into bankruptcy in 2014

CORPORATES
IFM INVESTORS PTY LTD, INDIANA TOLL ROAD CONCESSION COMPANY, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, CINTRA CONCESIONES DE INFRAESTRUCTURAS DE TRANSPORTE SA, GRUPO FERROVIAL SA, TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, CANADA PENSION PLAN INVESTMENT BOARD, ONTARIO TEACHERS’ PENSION PLAN, ABERTIS INFRAESTRUCTURAS SA, BOREALIS INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT INCORPORATED, QUEENSLAND MOTORWAYS LIMITED

Lower test will add fuel to the fire for shareholder class actions

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Original article by John Emmering, Michael Legg
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 13-Mar-15

In most cases, shareholder class actions in Australia are based on alleging causation between losses incurred by shareholders and directors’ behaviour. Until now, Australian courts have required proof of individualised reliance. The Federal Court’s observations in the case against Babcock & Brown directors are likely to stimulate discussion of causality in class actions

CORPORATES
BABCOCK AND BROWN LIMITED, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, DOWNER EDI LIMITED – ASX DOW, ARASOR CORPORATION, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, JONES DAY

IPO wave may not be sustainable

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Original article by Larissa Nicholson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 13-Mar-15

Seven companies debuted on the Australian sharemarket during the first two months of 2015. Deloitte’s Ian Turner notes that these stocks have collectively gained 23 per cent since their IPOs. The market boasted a total of 74 IPOs in 2014, which raised a combined $A26bn. Turner cautions that the IPO market may not match this performance in 2015, noting that the float market had been subdued prior to 2014

CORPORATES
DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, APPEN LIMITED – ASX APX, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO

Back to realty: News Corp rules property search in Melbourne – but will Sydney be Fairfax’s domain?

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Mar-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 819,000 property-hunters in Melbourne visited Realestate.com.au via website or app and/or read the Herald Sun’s weekday or weekend real estate section in an average week during the year to December 2014. This is seven per cent higher than in 2013. Domain’s total audience, comprising both digital visitors and readers of the print sections of The Age, rose by four per cent to 486,000 in 2014. In Sydney, Domain’s total digital and Sydney Morning Herald print reach rose by 10 per cent in 2014, to 675,000 in an average week. The number of people accessing Realestate.com.au and/or the Daily Telegraph’s real estate section in an average week was virtually unchanged at 683,000

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, REALESTATE.COM.AU, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, DOMAIN.COM.AU

Grand Prix good value for $60m, says Walker

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 13-Mar-15

It is estimated that it has cost Melbourne about $A467m to host the Australian Formula One Grand Prix over the last two decades. The race generated a loss of $A59.9m in 2014, and Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Andrew Westacott expects a similar loss in 2015. He adds that the race has a flow-on effect for sectors such as accommodation, with hotels’ occupancy rates rising substantially due to the influx of interstate and overseas visitors

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX, UBS AG, BENTLEY MOTOR CARS

NAB leads $8b mortgage bond rush as investor demand builds

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Original article by Jonathan Shapiro
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 13-Mar-15

There has been a spike in activity in Australia’s residential mortgage-backed securities market in 2015, with issuance in the year to date topping $A8.2bn. This compares with just $A4.8bn during the same period in 2014. National Australia Bank is the latest player to venture into the securitisation market, issuing $A1.75bn worth of such securities with a triple-A rating

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BANK OF QUEENSLAND LIMITED – ASX BOQ, RESIMAC LIMITED, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, CREDIT UNION AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED

Rinehart blames high costs on government

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Original article by Julie-Anne Sprague
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 & 24 : 12-Mar-15

Billionaire Gina Rinehart says high labour costs have a bigger impact on the profitability of Australian mining companies than low commodity prices. She stated on 11 March 2015 that the regulatory burden is too heavy and costly for companies. Roy Hill Holdings CEO Barry Fitzgerald revealed that the company had to seek more than 4,000 approvals for its iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia

CORPORATES
ROY HILL HOLDINGS PTY LTD, POSCO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MARUBENI AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CHINA STEEL AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES INCORPORATED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, VALE SA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

Commuter says yes: Australia’s CBD workers spot ads on motorways, public transport and office screens

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Mar-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey, which was carried out in the year to September 2014, has found that around 70 per cent of Australians aged 14+ who work in the Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane CBD have noticed public transport advertising in the last seven days. This includes ads inside or on the side of buses, trains, ferries and trams, at train stations, on platforms and in shelters. Meanwhile, around 65 per cent of CBD workers in Adelaide and 60 per cent in Perth reported seeing public transport ads in the past week

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Woolworths puts more money into Masters

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 : 12-Mar-15

Australian-listed Woolworths has invested an additional $A30m in its Masters Home Improvement joint venture, while Lowe’s has contributed $A15m. The two groups have now invested more than $A3bn in the loss-making venture in the last five years. Masters posted a loss of $A112m in the first half of 2014-15, but Woolworths intends to press ahead with plans to open 6-11 new stores annually

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LOWE’S COMPANIES INCORPORATED, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, DANKS HOLDINGS LIMITED, CHARTER HALL GROUP – ASX CHC, HOST-PLUS, SHOPPING CENTRES AUSTRALASIA PROPERTY GROUP – ASX SCP