Ten’s fate in reclusive billionaire’s hands

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 17 : 18-Dec-14

Takeover target Ten Network staged its AGM on 17 December 2014, which was attended by 15% stakeholder Bruce Gordon. He is the largest individual investor in the free-to-air TV group, which has received an offer worth $A590m or $A0.23 a share from pay TV provider Foxtel and US ally Discovery Communications. Other major stockholders who would need to support the deal are mining heiress Gina Rinehart with 10%, as well as respective News Corporation and Crown ­Resorts chairs Lachlan Murdoch and James Packer. Possible rival suitors for Ten are Anchorage Capital and Saban Capital

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, SABAN CAPITAL GROUP INCORPORATED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN

oOh!Media IPO more of an oh-oh than a go-go

Original article by Jared Lynch, Sally Rose
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 18-Dec-14

Shares in oOh!Media closed 1.6 per cent below the issue price of $A1.93 when the stock debuted on the Australian sharemarket on 17 December 2014. Shares in the outdoor advertising group listed at $A1.80, following a $A168.8m IPO by CHAMP Private Equity. The firm has retained a 32.2 per cent stake in oOh!Media, while WPP has an 8.6 per cent stake

CORPORATES
OOH!MEDIA LIMITED – ASX OML, CHAMP PRIVATE EQUITY PTY LTD, CASTLE HARLAN AUSTRALIAN MEZZANINE PARTNERS PTY LTD, WPP GROUP PLC, EYE CORP LIMITED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN

Investors’ love of local shares proves a costly passion

Original article by Bianca Hartge-Hazelman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 17-Dec-14

The S&P 500 Index has risen by 7.5 per cent so far in 2014, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 has shed 3.6 per cent in local currency terms. The local benchmark index has fallen by 20 per cent in US currency terms since September. Research shows that international shares are widely tipped to continue to outperform in 2015, while PM Capital’s Paul Moore argues that Australian investors should increase their exposure to offshore assets

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, PM CAPITAL LIMITED, MORGAN STANLEY WEALTH MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LIVEWIREMARKETS.COM, MERCER INVESTMENTS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN ETHICAL INVESTMENT LIMITED – ASX AEF, TOKYO STOCK PRICE INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX, MORGAN STANLEY CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL EUROPE INDEX

Careers Network falls 20pc on sector trauma

Original article by Kylar Loussikian
The Australian – Page: 19 : 16-Dec-14

Australian Careers Network’s stock finished its first day of trading at $A1.36 on 15 December 2014, after listing at $A1.70. The vocational education and training group’s IPO was worth $A54.4m, after it initially aimed to raise $A100m. CEO Ivan Brown says part of the proceeds will be used to finance acquisitions. Several other recent IPOs in the education and training sector have also underperformed

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CAREERS NETWORK LIMITED – ASX ACO, PETRA CAPITAL PTY LTD, VOCATION LIMITED – ASX VET, SIMONDS GROUP LIMITED – ASX SIO, BUILDERS ACADEMY AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN MANAGEMENT ACADEMY, COVE TRAINING

No bail for pair on insider trading charge

Original article by Georgia Wilkins, Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 12-Dec-14

Lukas Kamay and Christopher Hill could be jailed for at least 10 years after being convicted for engaging in insider trading. The court had been told that Kamay gained $A7m from foreign exchange trades that were based on information supplied by Hill. The two men will be sentenced in February 2015, and will be held in custody after the Supreme Court of Victoria cancelled their bail

CORPORATES
SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, JBWERE LIMITED

BlackRock sees a wild ride for shares in 2015

Original article by Sally Rose
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 12-Dec-14

BlackRock expects cyclical stocks in the US to perform better than defensive stocks in 2015, while the US economy and currency are also tipped to improve. Meanwhile, the firm anticipates increased volatility in global financial markets in the new year. It also says the downturn in the crude oil price should have a positive impact on global economic growth in the longer-term

CORPORATES
BLACKROCK INCORPORATED, BLACKROCK INVESTMENT INSTITUTE, BLACKROCK INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, BANK OF JAPAN, NIKKEI 225 INDEX

Vacuum cleaners keeping us recession-proof: Godfreys

Original article by Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 11-Dec-14

Godfreys Group’s stock ended its first day of trading at $A2.85 on 10 December 2014, compared with an issue price of $A2.75. The vacuum cleaner retailer raised $A78m via an IPO, after scaling back plans for a $A103m raising. Godfreys chairman Rod Walker notes that the group’s sales are generally not affected by the economic outlook, as every home needs a vacuum cleaner

CORPORATES
GODFREYS GROUP LIMITED – ASX GFY, ARCADE FINANCE PTY LTD, NOMURA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, INVESTEC AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FREEDOM GROUP LIMITED, PACIFIC EQUITY PARTNERS PTY LTD, UNITAS CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, ACONEX LIMITED – ASX ACX

Murray inquiry calls for social investment

Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 11-Dec-14

Impact Investing Australia has welcomed a call by David Murray, chairman of the inquiry into Australia’s financial system, for greater involvement of the private sector in social impact investing. Murray said the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority should develop a framework for impact investment by superannuation funds. Impact Investing Australia expects the impact investing market to grow to at least $A32 billion by 2025

CORPORATES
IMPACT INVESTING AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, BIG SOCIETY COUNCIL, SOCIAL VENTURES AUSTRALIA LIMITED, THE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Refinancing allows Boart boss to focus on long term

Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 18 : 8-Dec-14

Investors in Australian-listed mining services group Boart Longyear are set to vote on a refinancing deal worth as much as $US342m ($A410m) with US-based private equity firm Centerbridge in mid-December 2014. It will come as a relief to CEO Richard O’Brien, who has had to face a series of crises since being appointed on 1 April 2013. He still believes that a turnaround in the resources sector may not occur until possibly 2016, and urges shareholders to support the package deemed "not fair but reasonable" by consultant KPMG

CORPORATES
BOART LONGYEAR LIMITED – ASX BLY, CENTERBRIDGE PARTNERS LP, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CGI GLASS LEWIS PTY LTD, ISS PROXY AUSTRALIA

Three-way fight for ailing Ten

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 19 : 4-Dec-14

Competing bids worth between $A510m and $A664m have been prepared for Australian free-to-air TV group Ten Network, which along with adviser Citigroup is seeking at least $A770m. Pay TV provider Foxtel and US-based ally Discovery Communications are one suitor, and interest has also been voiced by private equity firm Saban Capital Group and hedge fund Anchorage Capital Partners. They would need the approval of News Corporation co-chair Lachlan Murdoch, Crown Resorts chair James Packer and WIN Corporation owner Bruce Gordon

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, SABAN CAPITAL GROUP INCORPORATED, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED, WALT DISNEY COMPANY, CVC ASIA PACIFIC (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, KOHLBERG KRAVIS ROBERTS AND COMPANY, KKR AND COMPANY LP, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM