CHRISTMAS – ECONOMIC ASPECTS – AUSTRALIA

Sales boom the perfect gift for Myer boss

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 21 : 20-Dec-16

Myer CEO Richard Umbers is confident sales at the group’s stores will be strong in the final week before Christmas. Personalised gift options are particularly popular among shoppers. Umbers hopes these gifts will be as popular as in 2015 when 450,000 shoppers bought personalised jars of Nutella before Christmas.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, DAVID JONES LIMITED, GPT GROUP – ASX GPT, PAYLESS SHOES PTY LTD, FERRIER HODGSON AND COMPANY

Gerry Harvey upbeat on retail sales outlook

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Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 : 15-Jan-15

Citigroup’s Craig Woolford estimates that Australian retailers generally enjoyed same-store sales growth of 2-3 per cent during the 2014 Christmas and New Year period. Harvey Norman recorded strong growth in sales, according to chairman Gerry Harvey, and he is optimistic about the group’s prospects for 2015. Harvey Norman shares closed $A0.23 higher at $A3.69 on 14 January, and Merrill Lynch has upgraded its share price target to $A4

CORPORATES
HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, INCU PTY LTD, SUPER RETAIL GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUL, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV, PETER ALEXANDER SLEEPWEAR PTY LTD, JUST JEANS PTY LTD, PORTMANS PTY LTD, SMIGGLE PTY LTD, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, NET-A-PORTER.COM LIMITED, MR PORTER

Discounts spur $800m retail boost

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Original article by Madeleine Heffernan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 & 16 : 7-Jan-15

Data from National Australia Bank suggests that there was a 13.5 per cent increase in consumer spending in the week beginning 22 December 2014. The figures, which are based on credit card and eftpos transactions by the bank’s customers, shows that consumer spending topped $A1.2bn in the week after discretionary retailers introduced price discounts. Craig Woolford of Citigroup says many consumers waited until retailers began discounting before doing their Christmas shopping

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA POST, DICK SMITH HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX DSH, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, SUPER RETAIL GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUL, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, KATHMANDU HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX KMD, SEPHORA USA LLC, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, THE QUANTIUM GROUP PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

Aussie kids cashed up after Christmas

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 5-Jan-15

A Roy Morgan Young Australians Survey has found that 87 per cent of Australian children aged 6-13 receive cash gifts for Christmas. The survey, which was carried out in the year to June 2014, also shows that more than 22 per cent of children are given cash gifts totalling between $A50 and $A100, while 20 per cent receive between $A100 and $A200. Meanwhile, 24 per cent of boys have received cash gifts of at least $A200, compared with 20 per cent of girls

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Dollar’s fall lifts retailers’ spirits

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 21 : 10-Dec-14

The latest Deloitte Access Economics retail forecasts study shows that the sector can expect higher margins during the 2014 Christmas period, due to the fall of the Australian dollar against the US currency. The overall sales growth figure for the calendar year is tipped to be 5.4%, compared with 3% on average per annum since 2010. The Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) also forecasts turnover in the second week of December to reach $A7.6bn. However ANRA CEO Anna McPhee notes that retail sector margins have declined in the past three years

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL RETAILERS ASSOCIATION LIMITED, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS