COST CONTROL

BHP to live within its means

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Amanda Saunders
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 19 : 25-Nov-14

BHP Billiton has indicated that its focus will be on maximising production at its existing assets rather than pursuing large acquisitions. CEO Andrew Mackenzie has told an investor briefing that any future acquisitions are likely to be restricted to conventional oil and gas assets. BHP will also continue to seek productivity improvements and reduce capital expenditure, with plans to scale back the latter by $US600m in 2014-15 and $US1bn in 2015-16

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, HESS CORPORATION, CHEVRON CORPORATION, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

Flying Kangaroo bounces back as oil prices tumble

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 17-Nov-14

Qantas CFO Gareth Evans says a "transformation" program to result in cost savings of $A600m in 2014. He says this will be the main factor in the carrier’s return to profits, rather than the recent downturn in the price of oil. Qantas expects to gain just $A20m from lower fuel costs in the first half of 2014-15, although some analysts have suggested that this could top $A292m. Evans has also downplayed speculation about a dividend payment, saying its focus is reducing debt and becoming cash-flow positive

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, BOEING COMPANY

That’s Life: jobs to go at CCA

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 27-Oct-14

Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) will shortly unveil the results of its strategic review, which was undertaken in response to an earnings downgrade earlier in 2014. The review is expected to result in job cuts, the abolition of some products and brands, and a reduction in capital expenditure. CCA is also believed to be planning to launch the low-calorie Coke Life soft drink, and may consider selling a stake in its Indonesian business to the Coca-Cola Company

CORPORATES
COCA-COLA AMATIL LIMITED – ASX CCL, THE COCA-COLA COMPANY, GRAINCORP LIMITED – ASX GNC, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, MORNINGSTAR PTY LTD, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, MOUNT FRANKLIN NATURAL, FRANTELLE, BEAM GLOBAL SPIRITS AND WINE INCORPORATED, GRUPO MODELO SA DE CV, HEINEKEN NV, SUNTORY LIMITED

Qantas set to beat Virgin in race to get back in the black

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 2-Sep-14

Qantas and Virgin Australia both posted losses for the 2013-14 financial year, and cost-reduction measures will be a key strategy in their return to profitability. Analysts forecast that Qantas will book a profit of about $A66m for 2014-15, while Virgin is not tipped to be in the black until 2015-16. Meanwhile, Virgin will gain $A336m from the sale of a 35 per cent stake in its frequent flyer program to Affinity Equity Partners

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, VELOCITY FREQUENT FLYER PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, AFFINITY EQUITY PARTNERS (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, AIR NEW ZEALAND LIMITED – ASX AIZ, SINGAPORE AIRLINES LIMITED, ETIHAD AIRWAYS, VIRGIN GROUP LIMITED, TIGER AIRWAYS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Treasury in hunt for US assets

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 25-Aug-14

Treasury Wine Estates has reduced costs by $A35m since Michael Clarke became CEO earlier in 2014. Clarke says the group’s major shareholders are very supportive of plans to pursue growth via "bolt-on" acquisitions in the US. He adds that both of Treasury’s private equity suitors have also supported his growth strategy. Treasury’s 2013-14 net loss of $A100.9m was primarily due to some $A281m worth of write-downs

CORPORATES
TREASURY WINE ESTATES LIMITED – ASX TWE, KKR AND COMPANY LP, KOHLBERG KRAVIS ROBERTS AND COMPANY, TPG CAPITAL LP, FOSTER’S GROUP LIMITED, BERINGER WINE ESTATES HOLDINGS INCORPORATED, LUCOZADE

Analysts urge Westpac to close 200 branches

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Clancy Yeates
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 11-Jul-14

Westpac Banking could reduce costs by closing up to 200 branches. Analysts from JPMorgan said that Westpac generated a third less profit per branch than some competitors. They said that the St George branches, acquired in 2008, were a drain on the business. Closing 200 branches is estimated to save $A400 million a year. The analysts said that Westpac should reconsider its strategy of offering a number of brands

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, ST GEORGE BANK LIMITED, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, BANK OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BANK OF MELBOURNE LIMITED, RAMS HOME LOANS PTY LTD, BANK OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, UBANK, STANDARD AND POOR’S (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD