K64 Auxiliary Finance and Insurance Services

Decade high for ASX as earnings flood in

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 28 : 16-Aug-18

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 has risen to its highest level in more than a decade on the strength of the August reporting season. Investors shrugged off a negative lead from Asian markets and a downturn in base metal and crude oil prices on 15 August, although weaker commodity prices weighed on the resources sector. Meanwhile, Wilson Asset Management chairman Geoff Wilson warns that while the Trump administration’s tax cuts have boosted the US economy, the trade war with China is likely to have an impact in the next 6-12 months.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, WILSON ASSET MANAGEMENT, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, COMPUTERSHARE LIMITED – ASX CPU, DEXUS – ASX DXS, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COCHLEAR LIMITED – ASX COH, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, BRAMBLES LIMITED – ASX BXB, AFTERPAY TOUCH GROUP LIMITED – ASX APT, PACT GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX PGH, HANG SENG INDEX, SHANGHAI COMPOSITE INDEX, NIKKEI 225 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE INDEX, LONDON METAL EXCHANGE LIMITED, OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WAM CAPITAL LIMITED – ASX WAM, MAGELLAN FINANCIAL GROUP LIMITED – ASX MFG, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK

Risks are real even in blur of reporting season

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 28 : 15-Aug-18

The earnings outlook for Australian companies has been encouraging so far in the August reporting season. There has been an 0.5 per cent increase in the consensus estimate for growth in earnings per share over the next year, based on financial results to date. Local investors have largely shrugged off global issues such as the downturn in the Turkish lira and continued trade tensions between the US and China. However, local shares – and other asset classes – remain vulnerable to external risks.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, COCHLEAR LIMITED – ASX COH, CHALLENGER LIMITED – ASX CGF, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE, DEXUS – ASX DXS, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, SEEK LIMITED – ASX SEK, PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK

Cashed-up PE firms prowl ASX for deals

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Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 13-Aug-18

The value of announced mergers and acquisitions involving Australian-listed companies has topped US$39.3bn so far in 2018. Private equity investors have been particularly active; US$11.4bn ($15.6bn) worth of such deals involving both listed and unlisted assets have been announced so far in 2018, which is 47 per cent higher than at the same time in 2017. Experts anticipate that the private equity sector will continue to pursue listed companies, with Tom Story of law firm Allens noting that suitors and their targets have been more willing to agree on price in 2018.

CORPORATES
ALLENS, DEALOGIC (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, INVESTA OFFICE FUND – ASX IOF, THE BLACKSTONE GROUP LP, SIRTEX MEDICAL LIMITED – ASX SRX, CDH INVESTMENTS FUND MANAGEMENT COMPANY, BWX LIMITED – ASX BWX, SINO GAS AND ENERGY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SEH, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, OAKTREE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, BILLABONG INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, PACIFIC EQUITY PARTNERS PTY LTD, LIFEHEALTHCARE PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, BGH CAPITAL PTY LTD, BAIN AND COMPANY, I-MED RADIOLOGY, ACCOLADE WINES LIMITED, CHAMP PRIVATE EQUITY PTY LTD, THE CARLYLE GROUP, MANUKA HEALTH, IXOM, PEMBA CAPITAL, DEVICE TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, AMCOR LIMITED – ASX AMC, NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE

Time for companies to splash the buyback cash

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 27 : 10-Aug-18

Berowne Hlavaty of JP Morgan says key indicators suggest that the August reporting season in Australia will be a strong one. The firm’s poll of analysts shows that 33 per cent of stocks are expected to post an earnings surprise on the upside, while only 17 per cent of stocks will surprise on the downside. JP Morgan has identified a number of companies that could potentially announce share buybacks during the reporting season. They include BHP Billiton, Westpac, Woolworths, Insurance Australia Group and Vicinity Centres.

CORPORATES
JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, VICINITY CENTRES – ASX VCX, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, ANSELL LIMITED – ASX ANN, MIRVAC GROUP – ASX MGR, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, PLATINUM ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED – ASX PTM, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT, SIMS METAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED – ASX SGM, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NATIONAL STORAGE REIT – ASX NSR, CHARTER HALL LONG WALE REIT – ASX CLW, LYNAS CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX LYC, IRESS LIMITED – ASX IRE, GROWTHPOINT PROPERTIES AUSTRALIA – ASX GOZ, CHARTER HALL RETAIL REIT – ASX CQR, PERSEUS MINING LIMITED – ASX PRU, CROMWELL PROPERTY GROUP – ASX CMW, PROPERTYLINK GROUP LIMITED – ASX PLG, TASSAL GROUP LIMITED – ASX TGR, CARDNO LIMITED – ASX CDD, MYOB GROUP LIMITED – ASX MYO, MAGELLAN FINANCIAL GROUP LIMITED – ASX MFG, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

Murray’s defiant plan for AMP

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Original article by Tony Boyd
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 1-Aug-18

Recently appointed AMP chairman David Murray has criticised the ASX corporate governance principles. Murray says they result in board directors having to wade through too much paperwork, leaving them with insufficient time to deal with important strategic issues. He claims the governance principles have contributed to the recent problems that have afflicted AMP and other companies in the financial services sector. The ASX governance principles require boards to have a series of committees with independent chairmen covering areas such as risk and remuneration. Murray has held for some time the view that these committees can undermine the authority of the CEO, as their chairs can establish special relationships with a company’s other senior executives.

CORPORATES
AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

Risks making volatility an asset

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Original article by Samantha Bailey
The Australian – Page: 30 : 27-Jul-18

The prices of asset classes such as equities, bonds, commodities and real estate have risen sharply as global interest rates begin to rise from historic lows. Triple3 Partners’ chief investment officer Simon Ho says now is a good time to invest in volatility, which has been recognised as an asset class for more than a decade. Triple’s portfolio includes about $70 million worth of volatility strategies.

CORPORATES
TRIPLE THREE PARTNERS PTY LTD, TRIBECA INVESTMENT PARTNERS PTY LTD

Aussie stocks still have room to grow: BlackRock

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 27 : 26-Jul-18

The BlackRock Concentrated Industrial Share Fund posted a return of 24.45 per cent net of fees in 2017-18, and its annual return has average 19 per cent since it was founded in December 2015. The fund’s biggest holdings include Wesfarmers, Qantas and Boral, while its focus is on mid-capitalisation industrial stocks. Charlie Lanchester of BlackRock is upbeat about the outlook for Australian industrial stocks.

CORPORATES
BLACKROCK INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, BLACKROCK CONCENTRATED INDUSTRIAL SHARE FUND, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, TREASURY WINE ESTATES LIMITED – ASX TWE, ARISTOCRAT LEISURE LIMITED – ASX ALL, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, PRAEMIUM LIMITED – ASX PPS, KOGAN.COM LIMITED – ASX KGN, TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, SYDNEY AIRPORT – ASX SYD

What’s in store for listings in 2018

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Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 25-Jul-18

Just 39 companies listed on the Australian sharemarket during the first half of 2018, compared with 57 during the corresponding period in 2017. However, Marcus Ohm of HLB Mann Judd notes that IPO activity is traditionally higher in the second half of a calendar year. IPOs collectively raised $2.5bn in the first half of 2018, although this was dominated by the L1 Long Short Fund. The materials sector is poised to account for a significant proportion of IPOs in the second half, as it did in the first half.

CORPORATES
HLB MANN JUDD, L1 LONG SHORT FUND LIMITED – ASX LSF, LATITUDE FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED

Strong US earnings growth tipped but it’s unlikely to last

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Original article by Timothy Moore
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 16-Jul-18

Expectations of earnings growth has been a major contributor to the rise of the S&P 500, which has gained 8.5 per cent since its February low. Market strategist Ed Yardeni notes that US corporate tax cuts in late 2017 have been the major driver of earnings growth. Analysts forecast earnings growth of 22.3 per cent in 2018 and 9.9 per cent in 2019. However, some analysts warn that earnings growth could come under pressure in the second half of 2018, due to factors such as the trade war with China and the rising US dollar.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, YARDENI RESEARCH INCORPORATED, FUNDSTRAT GLOBAL ADVISORS LLC, BLACKROCK INCORPORATED, LPL FINANCIAL LLC, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, JP MORGAN CHASE AND COMPANY, CITIGROUP INCORPORATED, WELLS FARGO AND COMPANY, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, APPLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, ALPHABET INCORPORATED, MICROSOFT CORPORATION, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, EXPEDIA INCORPORATED, BANK OF MONTREAL

Exchange-traded funds set for take-off

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Original article by Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 19 : 12-Jul-18

ETF Securities founder Graham Tuckwell is upbeat about the outlook for Australia’s exchange-traded fund market, which he expects to grow significantly in the next five years. Tuckwell says Australians have been slow to embrace ETFs while financial advisers have instead favoured actively managed funds, as they receive a commission for recommending such products to clients. He adds that active fund managers often underperform the market after their fees are taken into account.

CORPORATES
ETF SECURITIES LIMITED