BUSINESS FORECASTING – AUSTRALIA

Miners forgo exploration

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Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 8-Dec-14

MinEx Consulting MD Richard Schodde expects Australian resources group to continue reducing their expenditure on exploration programs in the near-term. Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that mining companies spent just $A439.8m on exploration in the September 2014 quarter, compared with more than $A1bn in March 2012. Schodde notes that the decline in exploration will adversely affect government revenue

CORPORATES
MINEX CONSULTING PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG

Metcash warns on profit growth

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 & 17 : 2-Dec-14

Listed grocery wholesaler Metcash has reported a 2014-15 interim underlying net profit of $A101.7m, which is nine per cent lower than previously. It has advised that full-year EBIT is likely to be within the range of $A315m to $A330m. CEO Ian Morrice says the initial results of the group’s five-year turnaround plan have been encouraging, but he has indicated that the group may not achieve its goal of resuming profit growth in 2016

CORPORATES
METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, INDEPENDENT GROCERS OF AUSTRALIA, SUPA IGA, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, DANKS HOLDINGS LIMITED

Woolies defies critics with profit guidance

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Original article by Andrew Fraser
The Australian – Page: 21 : 28-Nov-14

The stock of retailing sector group Woolworths on 27 November 2014 closed 2.16% higher at $A31.75, following comments made by chair Ralph Waters at its AGM. He told investors that the company was maintaining its forecast of 2014-15 net profit growth between 4% and 7%. CEO Grant O’Brien also noted the improving performance of the Dan Murphy’s liquor stores chain, Masters hardware joint venture and New Zealand supermarkets division. Waters sought to discount the competitive threat potentially posed by rival Aldi

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DAN MURPHY’S, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION, TESCO PLC, J SAINSBURY PLC, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX

Firms count on confidence

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Original article by Chris Merritt
The Australian – Page: 21 : 28-Nov-14

Commonwealth Bank of Australia has issued its first "Accounting Market Pulse" survey, commissioned from Beaton Research + Consulting. The findings for September and October 2104 indicate that accounting firms in all states except South Australia predict revenue to increase. The ratio of respondents stating that trading conditions are positive is net 15%, while that of firms forecasting the same for 2015 is 50%. This is better on both counts than for law firms, with researcher George Beaton noting that accounting groups offer a wider range of services to their clients

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BEATON RESEARCH AND CONSULTING PTY LTD

Test for Rio spending

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 28-Nov-14

Paul Young of Deutsche Bank believes that Rio Tinto’s investor briefing on 28 November 2014 will include plans to proceed with the Silvergrass iron ore mine in Western Australia. He expects Rio’s board to approve the greenfields mine during the December quarter, despite its recent moves to reduce capital expenditure. Rio aims to increase annual iron ore exports from 290 million tonnes to 360 million. Silvergrass is expected to boost output to about 330 million tonnes

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, GLENCORE PLC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY. BUREAU OF RESOURCES AND ENERGY ECONOMICS, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DOMINION DIAMOND CORPORATION

Energy exports at risk as oil prices slump

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Original article by Bianca Hartge-Hazelman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 26-Nov-14

The price of Brent crude oil is trading at $US0.7945 per barrel, having fallen to $US77.92 in mid-November 2014. David Hewitt of Credit Suisse notes that a number of market watchers are particularly bearish about the outlook for the crude oil price, with some warning that it could fall below $US60. He also says Australian-listed LNG producers would be adversely affected by continued weakness in the crude oil price, as the price of LNG is linked to the crude oil price

CORPORATES
CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, ORGANISATION OF PETROLEUM EXPORTING COUNTRIES, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, REUTERS HOLDINGS PLC, LUPUS ALPHA COMMODITY INVESTMENT FUND, BLOOMBERG LP, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Funds predict tough times ahead for local shares

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Original article by Bianca Hartge-Hazelman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 19-Nov-14

Paradice Investment Management founder David Paradice is among the fund managers who forecast lower earnings growth in Australia during 2015. Geoff Wilson of Wilson Asset Management expects the Australian sharemarket to be lower at the end of 2015, while Damien Boey of Credit Suisse says factors such as the weaker Australian economy and the fall in commodity prices will prompt at least one more interest rate cut

CORPORATES
PARADICE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, WILSON ASSET MANAGEMENT, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, COCHLEAR LIMITED – ASX COH, TABCORP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TAH, SLATER AND GORDON LIMITED – ASX SGH, INFOMEDIA LIMITED – ASX IFM, ARISTOCRAT LEISURE LIMITED – ASX ALL, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

ROKT, eBay in digital ad deal

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Original article by Damon Kitney
The Australian – Page: 19 : 13-Nov-14

Bruce Buchanan, CEO of digital marketing company ROKT, has announced a new agreement with web auctions group eBay for the North American market. The Sydney-based firm forecasts revenue of up to $A200m by 2016 from the deal on targeted advertising for eBay users. In Australia, ROKT has Car­sales, Tigerair and Australia Post among its clients. The business has been provided with venture capital by the Square Peg Capital vehicle of Paul Bassat and James Packer, as well as by Lachlan Murdoch and Carsales CEO Greg Roebuck

CORPORATES
ROKT PTY LTD, EBAY INCORPORATED, CARSALES.COM LIMITED – ASX CRZ, AUSTRALIA POST, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, TIGER AIRWAYS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SQUARE PEG CAPITAL PTY LTD, JANCHOR PARTNERS LIMITED, PINCHME AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Gas sector buoys economy

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 13-Nov-14

PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts that Australia’s oil and gas industry will be worth $A67bn to the national economy by 2029-30, compared with just $A32bn in the 2012-13 financial year. The firm’s report was prepared on behalf of the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA), and notes that the sector contributes more value to the economy than any other industry. APPEA CEO David Byers says the report demonstrates that gas supplies should not be reserved for domestic use

CORPORATES
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED, ENERGY SUPPLY ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Outlook for deals healthy as vendors eye valuations

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Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 11-Nov-14

Data from Dealogic shows that Australian companies have been involved in $US77.3bn ($A89.1bn) worth of mergers and acquisitions so far in 2014, which is nine per cent higher than previously. Meanwhile, a new report from Grant Thornton forecasts further growth in mergers and acquisitions activity in the next 12 months, following 105 deals in the 18 months to 30 June 2014

CORPORATES
DEALOGIC (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, GRANT THORNTON AUSTRALIA, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, GRESHAM PRIVATE EQUITY LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ