Author: roymorgansocial

IAG’s Wilkins here to stay but has insurance

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Original article by Ruth Liew
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 & 24 : 19-Feb-15

Insurance Australia Group has reported a 2014-15 interim net profit of $A579m, which is 10 per cent lower than previously. There was a 17.1 per cent increase in gross written premium, to $A5.6bn, while the group’s underlying margin for the half-year was 13.3 per cent. Shareholders will receive an interim dividend of $A0.13 per share. CEO Mike Wilkins has ruled out standing down in the near-term, but stresses that the group has a number of potential internal successors

CORPORATES
INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, NRMA LIMITED, CGU INSURANCE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, NIKKO ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED

Quality trumps quantity for well-heeled Australian travellers

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Original article by Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 19-Feb-15

Many affluent Australians prefer local holidays of short duration rather than long-haul overseas trips, due to being cash-rich but time-poor. The 2015 Australian Luxury Travel Survey indicates that two-thirds of respondents showed a preference for luxurious long weekends in local resorts. The survey was commissioned by travel agent network Virtuoso and Queensland resort qualia

CORPORATES
VIRTUOSO LIMITED, QUALIA, HAMILTON ISLAND LIMITED, LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS

Arrium chief slams inaction on dumping

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Original article by Tim Binsted
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 19-Feb-15

Australian-listed steelmaker and iron ore miner Arrium has posted a 2014-15 interim loss of $A1.5bn. The result was marred by $A1.3bn worth of impairment charges associated with its iron ore assets. The group’s mining division posted operating earnings of $A77m, compared with $A423m previously. CEO Andrew Roberts has urged the Anti-Dumping Authority to act more quickly to curb the importation of low-cost steel

CORPORATES
ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, AUSTRALIA. ANTI-DUMPING AUTHORITY, ALLAN GRAY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SOUTHERN IRON PTY LTD

Queue lengthens for tilt at Morgan Stanley’s Investa property business

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 37 : 19-Feb-15

Australian and offshore groups are expected to bid for Investa Property Group’s assets, following a decision by Morgan Stanley Real Estate to exit the business. Cbus Property has expressed interest in the assets, with its main focus likely to be Investa’s development land in Sydney. BlackRock and Fosun International are among the offshore groups that could be potential buyers

CORPORATES
INVESTA PROPERTY GROUP, MORGAN STANLEY REAL ESTATE, CBUS PROPERTY PTY LTD, FOSUN INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, BLACKROCK INCORPORATED, BLACKSTONE REAL ESTATE ADVISORS LLC, VALAD PROPERTY GROUP, DEXUS PROPERTY GROUP – ASX DXS, CROMWELL PROPERTY GROUP – ASX CMW, IDERA, MGPA PTY LTD

Woodside fuelled up for more acquisitions

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 & 26 : 19-Feb-15

Oil and gas producer Woodside Petroleum has posted a net profit of $US2.41bn for the 2014 calendar year, an increase of 38 per cent. The group’s underlying net profit of $US2.42bn was 42 per cent higher than previously, while revenue rose by 25 per cent to $US7.44bn. Shareholders will receive a final dividend of $US1.44 per share. CEO Peter Coleman says Woodside has sufficient capital to consider further large acquisitions should appropriate opportunities arise

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, APACHE ENERGY LIMITED, ALPHINITY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CHEVRON CORPORATION, BERNSTEIN RESEARCH

Roy Morgan announces 2014 winners of Customer Satisfaction Awards

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Feb-15

Roy Morgan Research announced the winners of its fourth annual Customer Satisfaction Awards on 18 February 2015. The awards recognise outstanding levels of customer satisfaction, as judged by more than 50,000 consumers and 12,000 business decision-makers throughout 2014. The 37 award categories cover sectors such as banking, insurance, superannuation, automotive, travel and hospitality, retail, telecommunications and utilities. Roy Morgan Research CEO Michele Levine says the awards have earned a reputation as the most accurate and reliable measure of customer satisfaction in Australia

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, LEXUS AUSTRALIA, P&N BANK, GREATER BUILDING SOCIETY LIMITED, PEOPLE’S CHOICE CREDIT UNION, DEFENCE SERVICE HOMES INSURANCE SCHEME, ESSSUPER, PLUM FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, CBHS FRIENDLY SOCIETY LIMITED, INSURANCELINE HOLDINGS PTY LTD, BENDIGO AND ADELAIDE BANK LIMITED – ASX BEN, NRMA LIMITED, REST SUPER PTY LTD, AUTOBARN PTY LTD, GUARDIAN CHEMISTS, SUSSAN-SUZANNE GRAE, MICHEL’S PATISSERIE, DAVID JONES LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, THE REJECT SHOP LIMITED – ASX TRS, THE GOOD GUYS, TRUE VALUE HARDWARE LIMITED, CRUST PIZZA, GULL PETROLEUM PTY LTD, BETTS AND BETTS PTY LTD, BETTS KIDS, SPORTSPOWER, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, APPLE INCORPORATED, SOUTHERN PHONE COMPANY LIMITED, INTERNODE SYSTEMS PTY LTD, AMAYSIM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, SINGAPORE AIRLINES LIMITED, ACTEWAGL, RED ENERGY PTY LTD

Japan Post pays up big for Toll

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Original article by Jenny Wiggins, Sarah Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 14 : 19-Feb-15

Directors of Australian-listed logistics group Toll Holdings and analysts have backed a takeover bid by Japan Post. The offer of $A9.04 per share values the deal at $A6.5bn, and data from Dealogic shows that it will be Japan’s biggest investment in Australia. Japan Post will be the world’s fifth-largest logistics group if the deal proceeds. Toll shares closed 47 per cent higher at $A8.95 on 18 February 2015. Toll expects the deal to be approved by regulators

CORPORATES
TOLL HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TOL, JAPAN POST, DEALOGIC (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, CIMB SECURITIES INTERNATIONAL (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE POST AG, UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE, UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INCORPORATED, FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION, DB SCHENKER AG, LA POSTE, KUEHNE & NAGEL INTERNATIONAL AG, JAPAN OIL GAS AND METALS NATIONAL CORPORATION, CHEVRON CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD

Pacific Brands: hope after loss

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Original article by Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 18-Feb-15

Restructuring costs and impairment charges contributed to Pacific Brands’ $A108.7m for the first six months of 2014-15. Revenue was six per cent higher at $A391.8m, and its Bonds brand achieved sales of $A176.3m. CEO David Bortolussi warns that the recent fall in the Australian dollar will force all underwear manufacturers to increase their prices in 2016. Some market watchers have suggested that prices could rise by 10-15 per cent

CORPORATES
PACIFIC BRANDS LIMITED – ASX PBG, BONDS INDUSTRIES LIMITED, HARD YAKKA, KING GEE CLOTHING COMPANY, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, SHERIDAN AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TONTINE BEDDING, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GROSBY FOOTWEAR, VOLLEY, BRAND COLLECTIVE

Fortescue pledge to hammer costs

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Original article by Amanda Saunders
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 18-Feb-15

Australian-listed Fortescue Metals Group has posted a 2014-15 interim net profit of $US331m, which is 81 per cent lower than previously. The group received an average of $US66 per tonne for its iron ore in the half-year, compared with the benchmark price of $US82. CFO Stephen Pearce says Fortescue hopes to reduce its cash costs to $US20 per tonne in the next 15 months. Shareholders will received a half-year dividend of $A0.03

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, VALE SA

Sonic hit by Medicare co-payment concerns

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Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 18-Feb-15

Sonic Healthcare has posted a 2014-15 interim profit of $A174m, which is 1.9 per cent lower than previously. EBITDA of $A344m was in line with the previous corresponding period, but CEO Colin Goldschmidt anticipates full-year growth of 2-4 per cent. He notes that uncertainty about Medicare co-payments affected the group’s pathology business in the first half. Sonic shares closed 0.2 per cent lower at $A18.91 on 17 February 2015

CORPORATES
SONIC HEALTHCARE LIMITED – ASX SHL, INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONER NETWORK LIMITED, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN ETHICAL INVESTMENT LIMITED – ASX AEF