DISTRIBUTORS (COMMERCE) – AUSTRALIA

Metcash stands its ground as share price falls

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 19 : 25-Jun-19

Grocery wholesaler Metcash has posted a net profit of $192.8m for the year to 30 April, following a loss of $148.2m previously. The group’s underlying profit was three per cent lower at $210.3m, but revenue increased by 1.8 per cent to $12.7bn. CEO Jeff Adams says Metcash is confident that its restructuring program, which includes further cost reductions, will pay off. Metcash shares fell 9.8 per cent on 24 June, closing at $2.84.

CORPORATES
METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW

Suppliers revolt over Woolies’ plan to cut data

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 19 : 1-Oct-18

Woolworths will make changes to the sales data it provides to suppliers as from 2019. The retailer states the data will be of a much broader nature, with intellectual property and competitive information being protected from being shared with rival companies. However, suppliers have expressed concern about the proposed changes, stating that not having access to specific sales data will leave them "defenceless" if Woolworths decides to stop stocking their products. They are also concerned that Woolworth’s private label brands will benefit from the changes.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, AUSTRALIAN FOOD AND GROCERY COUNCIL

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

Hardware merger is ‘the better of two evils’

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 17-May-16

Mitre 10 boasts a three per cent share of Australia’s hardware market, but this would rise to five per cent if it acquired Woolworths-owned Danks. Hardware retailer John Dahlsen believes that the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission should approve any merger between the two groups. He argues that an enlarged Mitre 10 could reduce its wholesale costs, which could in turn make the independent hardware retailers that it supplies more competitive against Bunnings.

CORPORATES
MITRE 10 LIMITED, DANKS HOLDINGS LIMITED, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, JC DAHLSEN PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, LOWE’S COMPANIES INCORPORATED, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NATBUILD PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, THRIFTY-LINK HARDWARE PTY LTD, TRUE VALUE HARDWARE LIMITED

Healthy Sigma set for acquisitions

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Original article by Sarah-Jane Tasker
The Australian – Page: 21 : 24-Mar-16

Australian-listed Sigma Pharmaceuticals has posted a 2015 net profit of $A50.5m, which is 4.3 per cent lower than previously, although revenue rose by 10 per cent to $A3.5bn. CEO Mark Hooper notes that the proportion of Sigma’s revenue from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme has fallen in recent years due to the group’s push to diversify its sources of income. He has flagged acquisitions and identified expansion into the hospital pharmacy sector as a key growth strategy.

CORPORATES
SIGMA PHARMACEUTICALS LIMITED – ASX SIP

Seven Group new boss set to take helm

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 23-Jun-15

Seven Group Holdings’ incoming CEO Ryan Stokes will receive an annual salary of $A1.6m when he succeeds Don Voelte in July 2015. Stokes has been an executive director of the conglomerate since 2010, and became COO in 2012. His remuneration also includes both short- and long-term incentive plans. Voelte revealed his intention to step down in April.

CORPORATES
SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, WESTRAC HOLDINGS PTY LTD

Shriro warms investors’ hearts with barbecue

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 17-Jun-15

Shriro Holdings will have a market capitalisation of about $A125m when it debuts on the Australian sharemarket on 23 June 2015. The household appliances group’s IPO raised $A50.5m, with its shares issued at $A1 apiece. Shriro’s portfolio of brands includes Altise, Omega and Robinhood, while it is a distributor of brands such as Casio, Blanco and Pioneer. Shriro has forecast a net profit of $A10m and revenue of $A187m for 2015.

CORPORATES
SHRIRO HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SHM, BLANCO PTY LTD, CASIO COMPUTER COMPANY LIMITED, PIONEER ELECTRONICS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, OMEGA APPLIANCES, ROBINHOOD AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ALTISE, EVERDURE, DULUXGROUP LIMITED – ASX DLX, SHRIRO PACIFIC, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, BING LEE ELECTRICS PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, BREVILLE GROUP LIMITED – ASX BRG, GUD HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX GUD, REXEL AUSTRALIA LIMITED, HAGEMEYER BRANDS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ROCKPOOL BAR AND GRILL PTY LTD, ESTEE LAUDER PTY LTD, GREENSTONE LIMITED, CARTER HOLT HARVEY LIMITED, IVE GROUP, METRO PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PTY LTD, WILSON HTM INVESTMENT GROUP LIMITED – ASX WIG, ANZ SECURITIES LIMITED

Seven set for uptick

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Original article by Tess Ingram, Anthony Macdonald
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 26-Feb-15

Seven Group Holdings has posted a 2014-15 interim net profit of $A69.2m, which is 74 per cent lower than previously. The WesTrac division’s sales revenue was down 47 per cent at $A323m, although revenue from equipment servicing and parts sales rose by 16 per cent to $A750m. Meanwhile, Seven Group will undertake an on-market share buyback via Goldman Sachs. The group’s shares closed 11 per cent higher at $A6.85 on 25 February 2015

CORPORATES
SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, WESTRAC HOLDINGS PTY LTD, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, CATERPILLAR, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL

Caterpillar’s sales crawl backwards hits Seven

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Original article by Sarah-Jane Tasker
The Australian – Page: 18 : 29-Jan-15

The profit for the final three months of calendar 2014 at US mining machinery manufacturer Caterpillar has fallen 25%, prompting it to also predict declines of 9% and 22% respectively for sales and earnings per share in 2015. The slump due to the ending of the resources boom will have a negative impact on Australian-listed conglomerate Seven Group Holdings as well. It owns the WesTrac distributor of Caterpillar products in parts of Australia and China

CORPORATES
SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, CATERPILLAR INCORPORATED, WESTRAC HOLDINGS PTY LTD