CORPORATE PROFITS – AUSTRALIA

Citi tips ‘attractive’ return on stocks

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Original article by James Thomson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 35 : 6-Sep-17

Data from Citigroup shows that the earnings of Australian-listed companies increased by 17.8 per cent in 2016-17, although growth was just 4.3 per cent when resources stocks are excluded. Earnings are forecast to rise by 3.4 per cent overall in 2017-18, although Tony Brennan of Citigroup notes that growth could be around 10 per cent when dividends are taken into account. Meanwhile, UBS expects earnings growth of 3.5 per cent overall. Citigroup also forecasts that the S&P/ASX 200 could potentially rise by 12 per cent in 2017-18.

CORPORATES
CITIGROUP PTY LTD, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX PRY, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, COMPUTERSHARE LIMITED – ASX CPU, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX

Kim’s bomb the bleak balance for the upbeat

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Original article by Vesna Poljak
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 4-Sep-17

Shane Oliver of AMP Capital says there is potential for equity markets to experience a correction, although this could depend on the response to North Korea’s test of a hydrogen bomb. Meanwhile, Oliver says profit growth in Australia remains significantly lower than in the US, Europe and Japan. He anticipates GDP growth of 0.5 per cent for the quarter and 1.5 per cent growth year-on-year. A survey by Bloomberg shows that the general consensus is for GDP growth of 0.7 per cent for the quarter and 1.8 per cent for the year to June.

CORPORATES
AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BETASHARES CAPITAL LIMITED, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB

Harvey Norman offers buy-back olive branch

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 28 : 1-Sep-17

Listed furniture and homewares retailer Harvey Norman has posted a 2016-17 after-tax net profit of $A448.9m, which is 29 per cent higher than previously. The group’s underlying net profit was up 15.7 per cent to $A390.8m, while its franchised stores in Australia recorded 5.4 per cent growth in sales, to $A5.6bn. The company’s final dividend has been reduced, although chairman Gerry Harvey has flagged the possibility of a share buyback. Harvey Norman shares closed 7.5 per cent lower at $A4.08 on 31 August.

CORPORATES
HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, OWNERSHIP MATTERS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED

‘Don’t throw away growth for dividends’

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Original article by Andrew White, David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 17 & 28 : 31-Aug-17

Data from Credit Suisse shows that 60 per cent that have a 30 June balance data increased their dividend payout in the August 2017 reporting season, while 31 per cent reduced their dividends. Perennial Value Management MD John Murray has welcomed the decision of some companies to increase their capital expenditure rather than returns to shareholders. Wilson Asset Management chairman Geoff Wilson notes that the increase in capex during the current reporting season is the strongest since 2007.

CORPORATES
PERENNIAL VALUE MANAGEMENT LIMITED, WILSON ASSET MANAGEMENT, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, NUFARM LIMITED – ASX NUF, SKYCITY ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LIMITED – ASX SKC, AMCOR LIMITED – ASX AMC, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, APA GROUP – ASX APA

Telco nets 1million customers

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Original article by Michael Bailey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 29-Aug-17

Amaysim Australia has posted a 2016-17 net profit after tax of $A11.5 million, which is seven per cent lower than previously. Amaysim’s statutory earnings increased by 35 per cent to $A33.8 million, while its revenue rose by 29 per cent to $A326.7 million. Shareholders will receive a fully franked final dividend of $A0.051 per share. Amaysim shares closed up five per cent at $A1.75 on 28 August.

CORPORATES
AMAYSIM AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX AYS, CLICK ENERGY, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, AUSBBS

Despite the gloom, this is the best reporting season in years

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Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 & 26 : 29-Aug-17

Financial market analysts argue that negative perceptions of the August 2017 reporting season are not justified. Jason Steed of JP Morgan notes that 123 stocks in the S&P/ASX 200 Index have risen so far in August, while he adds that investors’ perceptions of the reporting season are often influenced by a handful of stocks that post large declines in the wake of their earnings results. Hasan Tevfik of Credit Suisse says the capital expenditure intentions of ASX 200 companies also demonstrates the strength of the reporting season.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL

Home loan borrowers snub banks

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Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 25-Aug-17

Mortgage Choice has reported a 2016-17 net profit of $A22.2 million, up 13.5 per cent. Mortgage Choice’s shares were trading up three per cent at $A2.36 on the back of its result, while it declared a fully franked dividend of $A0.09 per share. Mortgage Choice’s loan book rose by 3.2 per cent to $A53.4 billion over the year, while CEO John Flavell commented that non-bank lenders had increased their share of Australia’s home loan market over the period.

CORPORATES
MORTGAGE CHOICE LIMITED – ASX MOC, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, MACQUARIE SECURITIES PTY LTD

Woolies back in the retail race

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 24-Aug-17

Retail giant Woolworths has posted a 2016-17 net profit of $A1.533bn, following an impairment-marred loss of $A1.234bn for 2016-17. Net profit from continuing operations was down 3.6 per cent at $A1.422bn, but revenue was 3.7 per cent higher at $A55.47bn. Woolworths’ core supermarkets division recorded 4.5 per cent growth in food sales, to $A36.37bn, while the struggling Big W business recorded an EBIT loss of $A150.5m and a 5.6 per cent decline in sales.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, WOOLWORTHS SUPERMARKETS, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, EZIBUY, LOWE’S COMPANIES INCORPORATED, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, VERTIUM ASSET MANAGEMENT

Wild ride for majors as profit season unfolds

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 27 : 24-Aug-17

The August 2017 reporting season has prompted large movements in the shares of some blue-chip stocks. Data from Bloomberg shows that 30 companies in the benchmark S&P/200 Index have experienced share price movements of at least five per cent on the day their latest financial results were released. AMP Capital’s Shane Oliver notes that a similar number of stocks have outperformed and underperformed the market, although investors have tended to react more savagely than usual to stocks that failed to meet earnings expectations.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, BLOOMBERG LP, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, ACONEX LIMITED – ASX ACX, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, SIRTEX MEDICAL LIMITED – ASX SRX, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MONADELPHOUS GROUP LIMITED – ASX MND, THE A2 MILK COMPANY LIMITED – ASX A2M, VIRTUS HEALTH LIMITED – ASX VRT, THE STAR ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LIMITED – ASX SGR, McMILLAN SHAKESPEARE LIMITED – ASX MMS, AVEO GROUP – ASX AOG, BEACH POINT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG

Seven remains upbeat on China despite exit

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Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 26 : 23-Aug-17

Listed conglomerate Seven Group Holdings has posted a 2016-17 net profit of $A44.5m, which is 77.4 per cent lower than previously. The result was marred by impairment charges associated with Seven West Media. Seven Group’s EBIT of $A333.3m was 10 per cent higher than previously, and the group forecasts EBIT growth of 5-10 per cent in 2017-18. Meanwhile, Seven has struck a $A540m deal to sell the Chinese division of its WesTrac heavy equipment business to Lei Shing Hong Machinery.

CORPORATES
SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, WESTRAC HOLDINGS PTY LTD, WESTRAC CHINA COMPANY LIMITED, LEI SHING HONG MACHINERY, CATERPILLAR, COATES HIRE LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, BEACH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX BPT, LATTICE ENERGY LIMITED, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD