CORPORATE PROFITS – AUSTRALIA

Macquarie Media turns up the volume with profit surge

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 19 : 9-Aug-18

Australian-listed Macquarie Media has posted a 2017-18 net profit of $21.5m, which is 24 per cent higher than previously. Revenue was four per cent higher at $136.3m, and shareholders will receive a final dividend of $0.04 per share. Fairfax Media has a 54.5 per cent stake in the radio broadcaster, and Macquarie Media chairman Russell Tate says the group will benefit from the synergies arising from Fairfax’s proposed merger with Nine Entertainment Company.

CORPORATES
MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, 2GB, 3AW SOUTHERN CROSS RADIO PTY LTD

Iron ore heads for price crash: RBC

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 20 : 26-Jul-18

RBC Capital Markets has downgraded its average price forecast for iron ore in the September quarter from $US60 per tonne to $US50. The firm also expects the price of the steel input to average $US47.50 in the December quarter, compared with previous expectations of $US70. However, RBC expects the iron ore price to rebound to $US63/tonne in 2019. RBC has also downgraded its earnings forecasts and share price targets for BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group.

CORPORATES
RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG

Caltex tips profit rise despite downturn

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 13-Jun-18

Caltex Australia has advised that its 2018 interim net profit is expected to be within the range of $A295m to $A315m, compared with $A294m previously. Caltex has also forecast that its fuels and infrastructure division will post half-year EBIT growth of nine per cent. However, its convenience retail division’s EBIT is expected to be 17 per cent lower than previously. This has been attributed to factors such as lower fuel margins and costs associated with dismantling its franchise model.

CORPORATES
CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, SEAOIL, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, GULL PETROLEUM (NZ) LIMITED

Wage woes a boon for investors, says Tevfik

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 27 : 23-May-18

The S&P/ASX 200 has fallen by an average of 4.3 per cent during May and June over the last decade, and the current trend suggests that it will be trading at around 5,724.8 points by the end of June. However, Hasan Tevfik of Credit Suisse still expects it to reach 6,500 points by the end of 2018. He says corporate profit margins – and in turn share prices – should benefit from expectations that wages growth will remain subdued. Lack of growth in wages will also affect the timing of any rise in official interest rates, which Credit Suisse does not expect until about mid-2019.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, AUTOMOTIVE HOLDINGS GROUP LIMITED – ASX AHG, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, VICINITY CENTRES – ASX VCX

CBA falls as legal costs take toll on profit

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 19 & 24 : 10-May-18

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has posted an underlying cash net profit of $A2.35bn for the March quarter, which is nine per cent lower than previously. CBA has advised of an increase in home loan, personal loan and credit card arrears during the period, while its expenses rose by three per cent. Meanwhile, CBA has agreed to pay fines totalling $A25m to settle allegations that it manipulated the bank bill swap rate.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, DIGITAL FINANCE ANALYTICS, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Budget won’t curb expansion: Credit Suisse

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 30 : 10-May-18

Hasan Tevfik of Credit Suisse says the Federal Government’s May 2018 Budget is unlikely to have a negative impact on corporate profits. He adds that the proposed tax cuts for people on low and middle incomes are relatively modest in comparison to Australia’s record level of household debt, and the tax cuts will result in only a small decline in the debt-to-disposable-income ratio in the next several years. Tevfik still expects the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 to reach 6,500 points by the end of 2018.

CORPORATES
CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, TABCORP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TAH, WAGNERS HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED – ASX WGN, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, TREASURY WINE ESTATES LIMITED – ASX TWE, TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, CHALLENGER LIMITED – ASX CGF, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, LINK ADMINISTRATION HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX LNK, IOOF HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX IFL, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX PRY, RAMSAY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX RHC, SONIC HEALTHCARE LIMITED – ASX SHL, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

JB Hi-Fi stays firm on outlook

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 26 : 8-May-18

Australian-listed JB Hi-Fi has defended its decision to include a profit warning in a presentation to the recent Macquarie Australia Conference rather than issuing a statement to the stock exchange. Responding to a query from stock exchange operator ASX Limited, the consumer electronics retailer said it had been of the view that the information in the presentation would not have a material effect on its share price. JB Hi-Fi’s shares fell by more than 10 per cent following the presentation.

CORPORATES
JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, ALPHINITY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG

Westpac anger at royal commission tactics

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 14 : 8-May-18

Westpac’s shares rose $A0.24 to $A29.34 on 7 May after the bank reported an interim cash profit of $A4.25 billion, up six per cent. In releasing its latest results, Westpac took the opportunity to criticise the banking royal commission’s release of documents that had been critical of its lending standards. CEO Brian Hartzer also took the opportunity to restate the bank’s commitment to its BT Financial Group wealth business, despite other banks having indicated their intention to exit the wealth management sector.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, BT FINANCIAL GROUP PTY LTD, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, BT INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED – ASX BTT, ALPHINITY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

Lynas sees rare chance in trade row

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 17 & 28 : 6-Mar-18

Lynas Corporation has posted a 2017-18 interim profit of $A63m, compared with a $A19.3m loss for the previous corresponding period. Revenue was up 75 per cent at $A200.9m, while the rare earths miner reduced its debt to $US256.5m. CEO Amanda Lacaze says the Federal Government’s proposed collaboration with the US on the development of rare earths is positive for the local industry, adding that Lynas has contacted the office of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull regarding the issue.

CORPORATES
LYNAS CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX LYC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Yancoal dares to dream dividends

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 31 : 2-Mar-18

Yancoal Australia has posted a 2017 net profit of $A229m, its first since 2012. The result was boosted by pre-tax earnings of $A276m for the Coal & Allied assets that Yancoal bought for $US2.7bn ($A3.5bn). Yancoal CEO Reinhold Schmidt notes that the deal made the Chinese-backed company the third-largest coal producer in Australia. He says dividends may be on the agenda at some point, but stresses that the focus is on delivering sustainable returns for investors.

CORPORATES
YANCOAL AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX YAL, COAL AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES LIMITED, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO