Unlockd secures deal with Tesco

Original article by Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 10-Jun-16

Australian telco and mobile advertising group Unlockd has continued to expand globally, after securing a deal to supply its technology to Tesco Mobile in the UK. The deal with Tesco Mobile, which boasts some 4.6 million customers, includes content partnerships with Facebook and the British division of News Corporation. Unlockd CEO Matt Berriman says the company is enjoying monthly revenue growth of 75 per cent. It secured a deal with Sprint Telecom in the US earlier in 2016.

CORPORATES
UNLOCKD PTY LTD, TESCO MOBILE, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SPRINT TELECOM, LEBARA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, SPOTLESS GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SPO, CARSALES.COM LIMITED – ASX CAR, SEEK LIMITED – ASX SEK, CITIBANK PTY LTD, TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, CATCH-OF-THE-DAY.COM.AU, BRITISH AIRWAYS PLC, McDONALD’S CORPORATION, BRANSTON, DORITOS

Companies need to come up with growth strategies

Original article by Philip Baker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 13-May-16

Many Australian-listed companies have prioritised dividend yields in recent years, rather than investing in growth strategies. However, Macquarie Securities’ Jason Todd believes that investors are poised to reward companies that pursue growth via strategies such as acquisitions and capital expenditure. He identifies a number of stocks that could benefit from a growth strategy, including Transurban Group, Wesfarmers, Amcor, Carsales.com, CSL and Orora.

CORPORATES
MACQUARIE SECURITIES PTY LTD, TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, AMCOR LIMITED – ASX AMC, CARSALES.COM LIMITED – ASX CAR, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, ORORA LIMITED – ASX ORA, ASCIANO LIMITED – ASX AIO, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, SEEK LIMITED – ASX SEK, INCITEC PIVOT LIMITED – ASX IPL, TREASURY WINE ESTATES LIMITED – ASX TWE, RAMSAY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX RHC

BHP plan to unlock $70bn hits right note

Original article by Barry FitzGerald
The Australian – Page: 22 : 12-May-16

BHP Billiton’s base value is in line with its market capitalisation of $A98bn. CEO Andrew Mackenzie has told a mining conference in the US that the resources giant could increase its base value by $A70bn via a combination of its existing portfolio of assets and productivity improvements. He says this growth trajectory can be achieved even if there is no significant upturn in commodity prices. BHP shares closed $A0.72 higher at $A18.55 on 11 May 2016.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD

BHP is poised to pounce: chief

Original article by Barry FitzGerald
The Australian – Page: 19 & 20 : 12-Apr-16

BHP Billiton shareholders will receive interim dividends totalling $A848m after the group adopted a minimum payout ratio. Its half-year payout would have been about $A3.28bn if it had retained a progressive dividend policy. CEO Andrew Mackenzie says the change in policy means BHP has the capacity to undertake acquisitions if an appropriate opportunity arises. However, he adds that its focus will be on developing existing assets.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32

Amaysim shares surge on $70m Vaya takeover

Original article by Ruth Liew
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 5-Jan-16

Amaysim currently boasts 718,000 mobile telephone subscribers, and the acquisition of online-only telco Vaya will increase its customer base by around 140,000. CEO Julian Ogrin says the $A70m deal will assist the growth strategy of Amaysim, which is aiming for one million customers by 2019. Ogrin anticipates further consolidation in the mobile phone market in 2016. Amaysim shares closed 20 per cent higher at $A2.75 on 4 January.

CORPORATES
AMAYSIM AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX AYS, VAYA PTY LTD, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, IINET LIMITED, VOCUS COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED – ASX VOC, M2 GROUP LIMITED – ASX MTU, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, VODAFONE AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Westpac to ramp up home loans, transaction accounts

Original article by Clancy Yeates
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 9-Nov-15

The head of Westpac’s consumer banking arm, George Frazis, says his division aims to increase its customer base by 850,000 in coming years. The ambitious target is part of plans by CEO Brian Hartzer to gain an additional one million customers across Westpac’s operations by 2017. Frazis has signalled a push to increase home loan and transaction account customers. Westpac also aims to reduce its cost-to-income ratio from 43.8 per cent in 2014 to less than 40 per cent within three years.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, BANK OF MELBOURNE LIMITED, ST GEORGE BANK LIMITED, BANK OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA LIMITED, RAMS HOME LOANS PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED

Domino’s still hungry after gobbling rival

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 15-Oct-15

Australian-listed Domino’s Pizza Enterprises will have 330 outlets in France following the Stg35m ($A55m) acquisition of Pizza Sprint. CEO Don Meij says the group is keen to pursue further international acquisitions, as part of an aggressive expansion strategy that aims to double its store numbers worldwide over the next decade. Shares in Domino’s closed 5.4 per cent higher at $A41.95 on 14 October 2015.

CORPORATES
DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, PIZZA SPRINT, FOOD COURT FINANCE SRL, DOMINO’S PIZZA JAPAN INCORPORATED, PLATYPUS ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, BAILLIEU HOLST LIMITED, BAIN CAPITAL LLC

Amaysim pushes for 1m subscribers

Original article by David Ramli
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 5-Oct-15

Australian-listed mobile telephone reseller Amaysim currently boasts 718,000 mobile subscribers, but it aims to lift this to one million in the next four years. However, it had originally aimed to achieve this by 2015. The telco also believes that its customer support systems are robust enough to handle about two million subscribers. Amaysim is also expected to diversify its operations in coming years by expanding into electricity and gas retailing.

CORPORATES
AMAYSIM AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX AYS, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, SIMYO GMBH, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, VODAFONE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, KOGAN MOBILE PTY LTD, ISPONE PTY LTD, TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, M2 GROUP LIMITED – ASX MTU, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, APPLE INCORPORATED

Baby Bunting plans growth spurt to double in size after ASX float

Original article by Patrick Hatch
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 23-Sep-15

Infant supplies retailer Baby Bunting currently has 33 stores, but the group is planning an aggressive expansion following its proposed $A52m IPO. Shares will be offered at $A1.40 apiece, with proceeds of the float to be used to reduce Baby Bunting’s debt. CEO Matt Spencer forecasts that pre-tax earnings will top $A16.3m in 2015-16, with sales of $A218.6 million. The baby goods market is estimated to be worth $A2.3bn.

CORPORATES
BABY BUNTING PTY LTD

Guylian’s sweet spot for growth

Original article by Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 24-Jun-15

Guylian currently has three chocolate outlets in Sydney, but the group intends to pursue national expansion. Patrick Freriks, the operations director of Guylian Belgian Chocolate Cafe, says the aim will be to have 30 outlets across Australia within four years. He stresses that the chocolate cafes will offer a different range of Guylian products to those available in supermarkets.

CORPORATES
GUYLIAN BELGIAN CHOCOLATE CAFE, LOTTE CONFECTIONERY COMPANY LIMITED, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW