Author: roymorgansocial

ScoMo’s next generation cabinet

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 27-Aug-18

The federal government’s seventh ministerial reshuffle in three years includes four new cabinet ministers, while the number of women in cabinet has risen from five to six. Several key portfolios have been split under new Prime Minister Scott Morrison; Angus Taylor is the new Energy Minister and Melissa Price takes on the role of Environment Minister, while Peter Dutton will remain the Minister for Home Affairs but David Coleman will take charge of immigration policy. Kelly O’Dwyer will assume responsibility for the newly-reinstated industrial relations portfolio, while small business has regained cabinet status under Michaelia Cash.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Bottom line pushes budget closer to surplus

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 4 : 27-Aug-18

The Australian Government’s May 2018 Budget had forecast a 2017-18 deficit of $14.5bn. Economists expect the final figure – which will be disclosed by the end of September – to be slightly below this. Company tax receipts for the full year are likely to be in line with Budget projections, although overall government revenue was tracking slightly below forecasts during the first 11 months of the financial year. Shane Oliver of AMP Capital says incoming Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is likely to face some revenue challenges in the medium-term.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, S&P GLOBAL INCORPORATED

Ironic tryst: TV benefits as tech giants spend to lift image

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich, Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 24 & 26 : 27-Aug-18

Standard Media Index data shows that digital companies’ expenditure on TV advertising rose to $24.9m in 2017-18, an increase of 603 per cent. This includes digital disrupters such as Facebook and Google, but Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks notes that all companies that are aiming to lift their digital audience have ramped up spending on TV advertising. Overall expenditure on TV advertising rose by 1.8 per cent to $1.98bn in the first half of 2018, with the free-to-air sector’s share of revenue up 3.81 per cent to $1.36bn.

CORPORATES
SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, TWITTER INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, APPLE INCORPORATED, TRIVAGO PTY LTD, THINK TV, MORNINGSTAR PTY LTD, AIRBNB AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AIRTASKER PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, BIG BASH LEAGUE, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, SEVEN STUDIOS PTY LTD

BHP slashes global growth forecasts as tariff tensions bite

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 17 & 18 : 27-Aug-18

BHP Billiton now expects global economic growth in 2019 and 2020 to be within the range of 3.25-3.75 per cent, compared with its previous range of 3.5-4 per cent. The resources giant attributes its growth downgrade to the US-China trade war, although BHP’s Huw McKay says demand for most of its commodities is likely to rise in the medium-term. The International Monetary Fund has maintained its growth forecast of 3.9 per for 2018 and 2019, although it recently indicated that the tariff war could prompt a downgrade of its forecast for 2020.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Viewers turn to Seven to watch Libs decide leadership

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 24 : 27-Aug-18

The Seven Network’s rolling coverage of the Liberal Party’s leadership spill on 24 August boasted an average audience of 165,000 viewers in the five major capital cities, and a combined audience of 252,000 in both metropolitan and regional areas. The ABC’s coverage attracted 167,000 metropolitan viewers and a combined audience of 248,000. Seven also had the highest-rating evening news bulletin. Meanwhile, Sky News Live’s coverage of the leadership crisis had an average audience of 96,183, which is a record for the pay-TV channel.

CORPORATES
SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SKY NEWS, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Singapore Airlines best for international airline customer satisfaction

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 27-Aug-18

Singapore Airlines has won Roy Morgan’s International Airlines Customer Satisfaction Award for July, with a customer satisfaction rating of 88%. It is followed by rivals Cathay Pacific and Emirates (both on 84%) and Air New Zealand (82%). Qantas is the leading Australian international airline, with a customer satisfaction rating of 80%, just in front of main rival Virgin Australia on 78%. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says Singapore Airlines is on track to win its first Annual Roy Morgan International Airline Customer Satisfaction Award since 2015.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, SINGAPORE AIRLINES LIMITED, CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS LIMITED, EMIRATES AIRLINES, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH

ASX looks steady as earnings draw to a close

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Original article by Sarah Turner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 27-Aug-18

Futures pricing suggests that the Australian sharemarket will drift lower when trading resumes on 27 August. The leadership crisis in Canberra weighed on investors in the previous week, with the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 1.5 per cent. However, US markets posted solid gains for the week, with the S&P 500 officially recording its longest bull run on record.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE INDEX, NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, PEOPLE’S BANK OF CHINA, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Qantas edges out Virgin Australia for customer satisfaction

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 27-Aug-18

Qantas has won Roy Morgan’s Domestic Airline Customer Satisfaction Award for July with a customer satisfaction rating of 84%, just ahead of key rival Virgin Australia on 83%. Regional airline REX on 77% edged out Qantaslink on 76% for third place. Qantas has also won the monthly customer satisfaction award for domestic business travel with a customer satisfaction rating of 79.4%, ahead of Virgin Australia on 78.8% and Jetstar on 58%. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says the victories for Qantas in the monthly customer satisfaction award come as Australia is set to welcome a new Prime Minister who knows a thing or two about tourism. Scott Morrison is a former Managing Director of Tourism Australia.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, REGIONAL EXPRESS AIRLINES, QANTASLINK, JETSTAR AIRLINES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, TOURISM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

High prices to drive spring rural listings

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 27-Aug-18

The drought does not seem to have had too much impact on the value of farm properties in New South Wales, with values in some areas rising by 30 per cent over the past 12 months. Andrew Street of Landmark Harcourts says there is a lot of interest in cotton properties at the moment. Sam Hempinstall of Michael Keating International expects demand for Victorian rural estate to exceed supply during the 2018 spring, with good interest coming from both Asia and Europe.

CORPORATES
LANDMARK HARCOURTS PTY LTD, MICHAEL KEATING INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD, ELDERS LIMITED – ASX ELD, LABOUR PARTY (NEW ZEALAND)

APN Outdoor finishes up with a profit jump

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 24-Aug-18

APN Outdoor Group has posted a 2018 interim net profit of $17.8m, which is 13 per cent higher than previously. The outdoor advertising group has advised that it still expects underlying EBITDA of $92m to $96m for the full year, which is likely to be its last as a listed company after its acquisition by JC Decaux was cleared by the competition regulator. APN Outdoor CEO James Warburton has declined to comment on his future, but sources have indicated that he is likely to leave the company when the deal is completed.

CORPORATES
APN OUTDOOR GROUP LIMITED – ASX APO, JC DECAUX SA, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, OOH!MEDIA LIMITED – ASX OML, ADSHEL PTY LTD, HT&E LIMITED – ASX HT1, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, SYDNEY TRAINS, NEW SOUTH WALES. ROADS AND MARITIME SERVICES, TRANSPORT FOR BRISBANE, SYDNEY AIRPORT – ASX SYD