DEPARTMENT STORES – AUSTRALIA

Top end of town turns to bargain brand Anko

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Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 6-May-26

Wesfarmers-owned Kmart now sells more than one billion Anko-branded items in Australia each year. Wesfarmers CEO Rob Scott has told the Macquarie Australia Conference that more affluent consumers are now buying Anko products, and they are increasingly trusting the quality of the home-brand range. Scott added that Kmart’s new marketplace is "performing exceptionally" and offers more than 100,000 products. Scott noted that any additional increases in official interest rates are likely to put pressure on household budgets, although he says Wesfarmers’ core retailing businesses will perform well in such an environment.

CORPORATES
WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Myer to relaunch loyalty scheme after merger

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Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 24-Jan-25

More than 96 per cent of Myer shareholders have voted in favour of a deal to acquire Premier Investments’ clothing brands. The deal was also backed by more than 99 per cent of Premier’s shareholders. Myer’s executive chair Olivia Wirth says the department store group will relaunch its Myer One customer loyalty program later in 2025 and expand it to include the network of stores in Premier’s Apparel Brands portfolio; they include Just Jeans, Portmans and Jacqui E. Premier’s chairman Solomon Lew will have a stake of about 27 per cent in the enlarged Myer and gain a seat on its board, while Premier will now focus on its Smiggle and Peter Alexander brands.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV, JUST JEANS PTY LTD, PORTMANS PTY LTD, JACQUI E PTY LTD

Profit shock for Myer, Premier Investments

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Original article by Matt Bell
The Australian – Page: 13 & 14 : 14-Jan-25

Department store group Myer Holdings has advised that its sales totalled $1.59bn for the 22 weeks to December 28; this is 0.8 per cent lower than previously, and includes the crucial Black Friday, Christmas and Boxing Day sales. The trading update prompted investors to sell down Myer’s shares, with the stock falling 23.1 per cent to $0.88 on Monday. A deal to acquire the apparel brands of Premier Investments will be put to a vote of Myer shareholders on 23 January. Premier Investments has also indicated that weak sales will affect its earnings for the current half-year; its shares fell 15.9 per cent to $27.78.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV

Profit shock for Myer, Premier Investments

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Original article by Matt Bell
The Australian – Page: 13 & 14 : 14-Jan-25

Department store group Myer Holdings has advised that its sales totalled $1.59bn for the 22 weeks to December 28; this is 0.8 per cent lower than previously, and includes the crucial Black Friday, Christmas and Boxing Day sales. The trading update prompted investors to sell down Myer’s shares, with the stock falling 23.1 per cent to $0.88 on Monday. A deal to acquire the apparel brands of Premier Investments will be put to a vote of Myer shareholders on 23 January. Premier Investments has also indicated that weak sales will affect its earnings for the current half-year; its shares fell 15.9 per cent to $27.78.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV

Myer buys big brands from Lew’s Premier

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Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 30-Oct-24

Premier Investments will hold a 51.5 per cent stake in Myer Holdings if a deal to sell its Apparel Brands division to the department store group is approved by shareholders. Premier’s chairman Solomon Lew will personally control about 27 per cent of Myer and become a director of the iconic retailer. The deal includes brands such as Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Dotti and Portmans; Premier will then focus on its Smiggle and Peter Alexander brands. Myer’s executive chair Olivia Worth says the deal will allow the Myer One customer loyalty program to target a younger demographic.

CORPORATES
PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, APPAREL BRANDS, JUST JEANS PTY LTD, JAY JAY’S JEANS WAREHOUSE PTY LTD, DOTTI, PORTMANS PTY LTD, SMIGGLE PTY LTD, PETER ALEXANDER SLEEPWEAR PTY LTD

Myer outlines expansion plan with Just Jeans, Jay Jays buy

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Original article by Kylar Loussikian
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 : 25-Jun-24

Premier Investments’ chairman Solomon Lew would become the biggest shareholder in Myer Holdings if a proposed deal to acquire the former’s Apparel Brands division proceeds. Myer has approached Premier Investments with the all-scrip deal, which would result in the department store group acquiring brands such as Just Jeans, Jay Jays and Portmans. Premier would in turn distribute the Myer shares to its stockholders. Myer’s executive chair Olivia Wirth says it is looking at both organic and inorganic investment opportunities.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV, APPAREL BRANDS, JUST JEANS PTY LTD, JAY JAY’S JEANS WAREHOUSE PTY LTD, PORTMANS PTY LTD

Myer defies rates gloom, tips big Christmas

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Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 16-Sep-22

Department store chain Myer released its latest full-year results on 15 September, announcing an underlying net profit of $60.2 million, up 16.5 per cent. Bottom-line profit rose 5.7 per cent to $49 million, while full-year sales were up 12.5 per cent to $2.99 billion; a final dividend of $0.025 per share was declared, to be paid on 7 November. Myer CEO John King said the company was expecting strong trade over the Christmas period, although he expressed fears about the level of consumer confidence, particularly if the Reserve Bank lifts interest rates again at its October meeting.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Lew seizes 20pc of Myer as endgame nears

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 15 : 2-Feb-22

Premier Investments has advised that it recently paid more than $15m for more than 33 million additional shares in department store group Myer Holdings. Premier now has a 19.88 per stake in Myer, which is just below the takeover threshold. Premier has spent some $132m to progressively lift its stake in Myer over the last five years. The latest share purchase may give Premier’s chairman Solomon Lew sufficient leverage to secure his long-sought representation on Myer’s board.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV

Myer has the right stuff to lead revival

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 15 : 6-Oct-21

Myer Holdings’ chair JoAnne Stephenson has urged shareholders to vote against any motion to spill the department store group’s board of directors. There has been speculation that major shareholder Premier Investments will push for board renewal at Myer’s annual general meeting on 4 November. Stephenson was officially appointed as chair on 16 September, having been in the role on a temporary basis since predecessor Garry Hounsell stepped down in 2020. Stephenson says Myer’s board has an appropriate mix of skills, experience, diversity and independence.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV

No peace deal: Lew rejects Myer offer of board seat

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Original article by Jared Lynch
The Australian – Page: 15 : 9-Jul-21

Premier Investments’ chairman Solomon Lew has called for Myer Holdings’ three remaining independent directors to step down. He contends that $760m of shareholder value had been lost since his listed retail investment vehicle become Myer’s biggest shareholder in 2017. Lew adds that Premier has "nothing to gain" by engaging with Myer’s current board, after the department store group’s acting chair JoAnne Stephenson offered to provide his company with "appropriate" board representation. Lew has been advocating board renewal at Myer for several years.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV