Perth fundies see more upside in resources

Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 24-Oct-16

Australia’s S&P/ASX 300 Metals & Mining Index has gained 45.3 per cent so far in 2016, while the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 has risen by just 6.2 per cent. The rebound in the share prices of resources and energy stocks has rewarded investors who capitalised on a sell-off in the sector earlier in the year. WestOZ Funds Management has been progressively lifting its funds’ weightings toward the sector over recent months, while scaling back their exposure to cash.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 300 METALS AND MINING INDEX, WESTOZ FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, WESTOZ INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED – ASX WIC, PACKER AND COMPANY INVESTIGATOR TRUST, NORILSK NICKEL, CAMECO CORPORATION, BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, INDEPENDENCE GROUP NL – ASX IGO, WESTERN AREAS LIMITED – ASX WSA, SANDFIRE RESOURCES NL – ASX SFR

How banks and resources could move in sync

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 31 : 21-Oct-16

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index has significantly outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Banks Index in 2016, with a gain of 29 per cent compared with the latter’s eight per cent fall. Deutsche Bank notes that with the exception of the last four years, the two sectors have both regularly outperformed the broader sharemarket over the last 25 years. In addition, they have often outperformed in tandem. Tim Baker of Deutsche argues that the divergence of the two indices over the last few years suggests that they could be set for a new period of joint outperformance.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 MATERIALS INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 BANKS INDEX, DEUTSCHE BANK AG

Trump win would trigger volatility: fund managers

Original article by Jessica Sier
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 20-Oct-16

A survey of global fund managers shows that 53 per cent expect financial market volatility to increase if Republican Party candidate Donald Trump wins the US presidential election. The Bank of America Merrill Lynch survey also found that 55 per cent of respondents think equities and bonds are overvalued, while 44 per cent anticipate that treasury yields will be the biggest influence on share prices during the next six months.

CORPORATES
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION, MERRILL LYNCH AND COMPANY INCORPORATED, REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES)

Small-cap party could end in tears when the next crash comes

Original article by Philip Baker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 20-Oct-16

The Dow Jones Industrial Average has gained almost 944 per cent since the Black Monday sharemarket crash of October 1987, while the S&P 500 has risen by 854 per cent. In contrast, Australia’s All Ordinaries Index has increased by nearly 245 per cent. However, analysis by Richard Coppleson of Bell Potter suggests that when dividends are taken into account the All Ordinaries Accumulation Index has only slightly underperformed the S&P 500. Meanwhile, Coppleson warns that the current rally in small-cap stocks is unsustainable and a major fallout is inevitable.

CORPORATES
DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX, BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

AFIC warns on bank dividends

Original article by Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 25 : 18-Oct-16

Australian Foundation Investment Company MD Ross Barker expects the S&P/ASX 200 to be trading at around its current level in 12 months’ time. However, he expects the 50 largest stocks to outperform small- and medium-capitalisation stocks over the next year. Barker does not anticipate any further easing of monetary policy and says there is potential for a rise in the cash rate before the end of 2017. He adds that the major banks may not be able to sustain their dividend payouts, while large miners could potentially increase their dividends in the next few years.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FOUNDATION INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED – ASX AFI, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, SYDNEY AIRPORT – ASX SYD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW

Red flags to watch for in M&A season

Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 18-Oct-16

Data from Mergermarket shows that the value of mergers and acquisitions fell by 20 per cent globally in the first nine months of 2016, to $US2.2trn ($A2.9trn). M&A activity in Australia is rising as the end of the calendar year approaches. Anthony Aboud of Perpetual has identified a number of factors which may indicate that a company is making acquisitions for the wrong reasons. These include pursuing deals solely in the interests of diversification, paying too much for goodwill and making acquisitions that are motivated by financial incentives.

CORPORATES
PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT, MERGERMARKET LIMITED, CIMIC GROUP LIMITED – ASX CIM, UGL LIMITED – ASX UGL, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, THE GOOD GUYS, FANTASTIC HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX FAN, STEINHOFF INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED, FREEDOM FURNITURE, SNOOZE SLEEP WELL PTY LTD, THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INCORPORATED, SLATER AND GORDON LIMITED – ASX SGH, QUINDELL PLC, PERPETUAL’S SHARE-PLUS LONG SHORT FUND

ASX to hit 6000 in ’17, says Credit Suisse

Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 18-Oct-16

Hasan Tevfik of Credit Suisse believes that the Australian sharemarket’s "profits recession" of the last several years has ended, which will be reflected in the market’s outlook. Credit Suisse expects the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 to reach the 6,000-point level by the end of 2017, buoyed by single-digit growth in earnings per share over the next year. Meanwhile, Matthew Sherwood of Perpetual is upbeat about the outlook for the economy, forecasting a rise in GDP growth over the next 12 months.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT, ANSELL LIMITED – ASX ANN, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, COMPUTERSHARE LIMITED – ASX CPU, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC, MAQUILADORA PARTNERSHIP, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR

ASX to face fresh competition

Original article by Andrew White
The Australian – Page: 19 & 23 : 12-Oct-16

Stock exchange operator ASX Limited could potentially lose its monopoly on clearing and settlement services. Competition in the clearing of securities in particular is being scrutinised by the Australian Government as part of its broader competition law reforms. Several international players have already been granted licences to provide clearing services for over-the-counter derivatives, while share trades were opened to competition in 2011.

CORPORATES
ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, CHI-X AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, COUNCIL OF FINANCIAL REGULATORS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, DIGITAL ASSET HOLDINGS, CME, LCH.CLEARNET SA

Investors circle ailing companies in the valley of debt

Original article by Vera Sprothen
The Australian – Page: 19 & 23 : 12-Oct-16

Preqin estimates that private debt fund managers had access to a record $US199bn ($A262bn) at the end of June 2016. Such companies are believed to be seeking to acquire distressed assets in Australia, including sectors such as resources, mining services, agricultural and housing. Distressed debt funds are said to be looking to buy debt-burdened companies or the debts of businesses than cannot meet their repayments. Oaktree Capital Management and Lone Star Funds are among the global debt fund managers that have established a presence in Australia.

CORPORATES
PREQIN LIMITED, OAKTREE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, LONE STAR FUNDS, BAIN CAPITAL CREDIT, SC LOWY FINANCIAL (HK) LIMITED, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED, ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, PEABODY ENERGY CORPORATION, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, WELLS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, ALLENS, McALEESE LIMITED – ASX MCS, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC

Tech listings star as IPOs outperform

Original article by Chris Kohler
The Australian – Page: 20 : 10-Oct-16

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 gained 3.9 per cent during the September 2016 quarter. However, data from OnMarket shows that the 24 IPOs during the quarter achieved an average return of 28.2 per cent over the period, and an average of 28.6 per cent in their first week as a listed company. Technology stocks in particular have performed well, although exceptions include Kogan.com, which is trading below its issue price.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, ONMARKET, KOGAN.COM LIMITED – ASX KGN, VIVA ENERGY REIT – ASX VVR, MICHAEL HILL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED – ASX MHJ, PROPERTYLINK GROUP LIMITED – ASX PLG, SCOTTISH PACIFIC GROUP LIMITED – ASX SCO, QANTM INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LIMITED – ASX QIP