Housing underpins leap in Stockland’s interim profit

Original article by Robert Harley, Mercedes Ruehl
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 37 : 12-Feb-15

Listed property developer Stockland has posted a 2014-15 interim statutory profit of $A462m, which is 55 per cent higher than previously. The group’s residential development arm recorded a 72.8 per cent increase in operating profit, and MD Mark Steinert is upbeat about the outlook for the residential sector in the next several years. Stockland’s shares closed $A0.13 higher at $A4.73 on 11 February 2015

CORPORATES
STOCKLAND – ASX SGP, AUSTRALAND PROPERTY GROUP

Constructive tactics pay dividends

Original article by Jenny Wiggins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 12-Feb-15

Australian construction group Leighton Holdings has posted a net profit of $A676.5m for the 2014 calendar year, which is 33 per cent higher than previously. The group expects its net profit for 2015 to be within the range of $A450m and $A520m. Shareholders will receive a final dividend of $A0.53 per share, plus a special dividend of $A0.15 following the sale of the John Holland business for $A1.1bn

CORPORATES
LEIGHTON HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX LEI, JOHN HOLLAND PTY LTD, HOCHTIEF AG, GRUPO ACS, CHEVRON CORPORATION, AL HABTOOR LEIGHTON GROUP, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, FLEETCO

Domino’s eyes rivals as pizza sales sizzle

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 & 26 : 12-Feb-15

Domino’s Pizza Enterprises has posted a 2014-15 interim net profit of $A29.1m, which is 44.2 per cent higher than previously. Revenue rose by 29.5 per cent to $A343.6m during the half-year. CEO Don Meij forecasts that net profit and EBITDA for the full year will rise by 32.5 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. He says Domino’s will aim to increase its share of Australia’s overall fast-food market from eight per cent at present. It has a 25 per cent share of the pizza sector

CORPORATES
DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, McDONALD’S AUSTRALIA LIMITED, KFC

Gloomy growth forecast bloodies bullish CSL investors

Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 & 26 : 12-Feb-15

Australian-listed CSL has posted a 2014-15 interim net profit of $US692.2m, which is 7.2 per cent higher than previously. Revenue for the half-year was $A2.8bn, an increase of 5.6 per cent. CSL has advised that its full-year profit will be below previous guidance, although it is still on track to deliver a double-digit increase in earning. Shareholders will receive a half-year dividend of $US0.58 per share

CORPORATES
CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, PHILO CAPITAL ADVISERS PTY LTD, UNITED STATES. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AURORA FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX

Political chaos hits business

Original article by Jonathan Shapiro, James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 14 : 12-Feb-15

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia posted a cash profit of $A4.62bn for the first half of 2014-15 on 11 February 2015. However, the group’s shares fell by 0.79 per cent to close at $A91.86. Meanwhile, CEO Ian Narev has urged the nation’s policymakers to pursue measures aimed at bolstering business confidence, arguing that the failure to deliver "coherent" policy will hinder economic growth. Shareholders will receive an interim dividend of $A1.98 per share

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, INVESTORS MUTUAL LIMITED, PM CAPITAL LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY

Eyes on prize as Telstra heads for $2b net profit

Original article by David Ramli
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 11-Feb-15

Richard Eary of UBS forecasts that Telstra will post a 2014-15 interim net profit of $A2bn, an increase of 3.9 per cent. The telco is tipped to lift its half-year dividend to $A0.16, compared with $A0.15 for the second half of 2013-14. Eary also expects Telstra to have added about 200,000 mobile telephone customers in the half-year, increasing its subscriber base to 16.5 million

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, SINGAPORE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED – ASX SGT, VODAFONE HUTCHISON AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Cochlear amplifies profit result

Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 11-Feb-15

Australian-listed Cochlear has posted a 2014-15 interim underlying net profit of $A71.4m, which is 94 per cent higher than previously. The group’s statutory net profit was 240 per cent higher, while revenue was up 18 per cent at $A438.3m. Shareholders will receive a half-year dividend of $A0.90 per share. Cochlear shares fell by $A0.84 on 10 February 2015, closing at $A86.76

CORPORATES
COCHLEAR LIMITED – ASX COH, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN ETHICAL INVESTMENT LIMITED – ASX AEF, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX

$A unlikely to take shine off Lovisa

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 10-Feb-15

Lovisa Holdings has posted a 2014-25 interim net profit of $A12.3m, which is 66.2 per cent higher than previously. The fast-fashion jewellery retailer’s sales were 33.3 per cent higher at $A73.3 million. Lovisa’s earnings and sales for the half-year exceeded prospectus forecasts, and Dean Fergie of Cyan Investment Management says it is on track to meet its full-year forecasts. Lovisa shares closed $A0.035 higher at $A2.395 on 9 February 2015

CORPORATES
LOVISA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX LOV, CYAN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

Shocks likely as weaker $A hits home

Original article by Bianca Hartge-Hazelman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 10-Feb-15

Shane Lee of CIMB notes that consensus forecasts for earnings per share in the February 2015 reporting season have not been unduly affected by the sharp fall in the value of the Australian dollar. CSL, Boral and Newcrest Mining are among the stocks that could potentially have benefited from the lower currency in the first half of 2014-15. Lee notes that Boral will have greater downside risk in fiscal 2016, when less of its foreign exposure will be hedged

CORPORATES
CIMB SECURITIES INTERNATIONAL (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM, OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, COCHLEAR LIMITED – ASX COH, PERSEUS MINING LIMITED – ASX PRU, SONIC HEALTHCARE LIMITED – ASX SHL, TRANSFIELD SERVICES LIMITED – ASX TSE, AMCOR LIMITED – ASX AMC, ALUMINA LIMITED – ASX AWC, WHITEHAVEN COAL LIMITED – ASX WHC, OCEANAGOLD CORPORATION – ASX OGC, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, ILUKA RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX ILU, ATLAS IRON LIMITED – ASX AGO, SANDFIRE RESOURCES NL – ASX SFR, MOUNT GIBSON IRON LIMITED – ASX MGX

Ansell profit jumps 33.7pc after two major acquisitions

Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 10-Feb-15

Ansell has reported a 33.7 per cent rise in net profit to $A87.7 million for the second half of 2014. The Australian-listed rubber glove and condom maker’s revenue increased by 20 per cent to $US847.3 million. CEO Magnus Nicolin said on 9 February 2015 that the company benefited from two major deals completed in 2014. New acquisitions will be considered

CORPORATES
ANSELL LIMITED – ASX ANN, BARRIERSAFE SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL, MIDAS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, INVESTORS MUTUAL LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, CLSA, CREDIT LYONNAIS SECURITIES ASIA LIMITED