Roy Morgan announces 2014 winners of Banking and Finance Satisfaction Awards

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

Roy Morgan Research announced the winners of its 2014 Customer Satisfaction Awards for the banking and finance industry on 18 February 2015. P&N Bank was named the Bank of the Year, while the Commonwealth Bank won the award for Major Bank of the Year. Bendigo Bank was named the Business Bank of the Year, Defence Service Homes Insurance took out the award for General Insurer of the Year and ESSSuper received the award for Industry Superannuation Fund of the Year

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, P&N BANK, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BENDIGO BANK, BENDIGO AND ADELAIDE BANK LIMITED – ASX BEN, DEFENCE SERVICE HOMES INSURANCE SCHEME, ESSSUPER, GREATER BUILDING SOCIETY LIMITED, PEOPLE’S CHOICE CREDIT UNION, CBHS FRIENDLY SOCIETY LIMITED, INSURANCELINE HOLDINGS PTY LTD, NRMA LIMITED, REST SUPER PTY LTD, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, PLUM FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED

Roy Morgan announces 2014 winners of Customer Satisfaction Awards

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

Challenger lifts interim dividend

Original article by Ruth Liew
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 18-Feb-15

Listed financial services group Challenger has posted a 2014-15 interim normalised net profit of $A155m, which is five per cent lower than previously. Assets under management rose by 17 per cent to $A57.2bn, and shareholders will receive an interim dividend of $A0.145 per share. Challenger aims for growth of 11-13 per cent in sales of its annuity products for 2014-15

CORPORATES
CHALLENGER LIMITED – ASX CGF, COLONIAL FIRST STATE GROUP LIMITED, VICSUPER PTY LTD, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Good news expected for Macquarie Group

Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 17-Feb-15

Macquarie Group is tipped to post a 2014-15 profit of $A1.46bn, and there has been speculation that the group could again upgrade its earnings forecast. Macquarie upgraded its full-year earnings guidance in January, due to factors such as the lower Australian dollar and a high level of volatility in commodity prices. Macquarie posted a profit of $A1.27bn for the year to 31 March 2014. Its shares have gained 17.5 per cent so far in 2015

CORPORATES
MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MACQUARIE PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 FINANCIALS INDEX, ARNHEM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, GE CAPITAL CORPORATION, JEFFERIES LLC, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

Challenges ahead may thwart ASX 200 tilt at the 5900 level

Original article by John Wasiliev
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 17-Feb-15

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index closed just below the 5,900-point threshold on 16 February 2015. OANDA’s Stuart McPhee notes that 5,800 has been a key resistance level for the index, which he believes will find support at that level. Factors such as the corporate reporting season and the imminent closure of Asian markets for Chinese New Year are likely to influence the S&P/ASX 200 in the near-term, and its ability to rise above 5,900 points

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, OANDA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CMC MARKETS PTY LTD, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, LEIGHTON HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX LEI, AMCOR LIMITED – ASX AMC, IG MARKETS LIMITED

Steadfast set for Asian buy

Original article by Ruth Liew
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 17-Feb-15

Australian-listed Steadfast Group has reported a 2014-15 interim profit of $A21m, which is 11.5 per cent higher than previously. The insurance broking group’s cash earnings per share also rose by 11.5 per cent, to $A4.18. Steadfast has secured a deal to acquire Body Corporate Brokers and two underwriting agencies from QBE Insurance Group for $A290m. It is keen to pursue further acquisitions in Australia, as well as in Singapore

CORPORATES
STEADFAST GROUP LIMITED – ASX SDF, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE, BODY CORPORATE BROKERS, UNDERWRITING AGENCIES OF AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CHU UNDERWRITING AGENCIES PTY LTD, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, IC FRITCH, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MACQUARIE CAPITAL PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX

Goodman gets big tick

Original article by Sue Mitchell, Sarah Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 17-Feb-15

Goodman Fielder shareholders will vote on a proposed $A1.3bn takeover bid by Wilmar International and First Pacific on 26 February 2015. Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board approved the deal in late 2014, and the Chinese Government gave the green light on 16 February. The offer of $A0.675 per share also requires approval in New Zealand. Hedge funds bought about 160 million of the target’s shares in early February, and stand to make a healthy profit from the transaction

CORPORATES
GOODMAN FIELDER LIMITED – ASX GFF, WILMAR INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, FIRST PACIFIC COMPANY LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, CHINA. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, NEW ZEALAND. OVERSEAS INVESTMENT COMMISSION, ELLERSTON CAPITAL PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, AUSTRALIAN SHAREHOLDERS’ ASSOCIATION

ASX revving as results season hits high gear

Original article by Bianca Hartge-Hazelman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 16-Feb-15

Futures traders expect Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 to advance 29 points when trading resumes on 16 February 2015. The benchmark index closed at a seven-year high of 5,877.5 on 13 February. A number of blue-chip stocks are slated to release their latest financial results in the coming week, while the prospect of further monetary policy easing should also bolster sentiment toward equities. Meanwhile, the Australian dollar has fallen to $US0.7744 and it is widely tipped to lose more ground

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, AMCOR LIMITED – ASX AMC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL OPEN MARKET COMMITTEE, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Scrap 15pc ownership cap: Funke Kupper

Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 13-Feb-15

ASX Limited has reported a profit rise of 4.7 per cent for the first half of 2014-15. ASX CEO Elmer Funke Kupper said on 12 February 2015 that the stock exchange operator’s ownership cap of 15 per cent is no longer needed and should be removed. He says that globally, stock exchanges are being consolidated and the Australian stock exchange should be allowed to be part of this trend

CORPORATES
ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, CHI-X AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, COUNCIL OF FINANCIAL REGULATORS

Investors win with Telstra plan

Original article by David Ramli
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 13-Feb-15

Telstra has posted a 2014-15 interim net profit of $A2.1bn, which is 21.7 per cent higher than previously. The telco boasted revenue of $A13bn for the half-year, while its mobile subscriber base rose by 366,000 to 16.4 million. Shareholders will receive an interim dividend of $A0.15 per share, although some market watchers had anticipated a higher payout. Telstra will also resume its dividend reinvestment plan, which has been dormant since 2008

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, SINGAPORE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED – ASX SGT, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, NIKKO ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP