DIVIDENDS – AUSTRALIA

Rio investors tipped for mighty big win

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Darren Gray
The Age – Page: 23 : 6-Feb-18

Rio Tinto will release its full-year results on 7 February, and Macquarie Wealth Management forecasts that it will reveal underlying earnings of $US8.88 billion, up 74 per cent, and that cash from operations will rise by 63 per cent to $US13.809 billion. Macquarie also predicts that Rio shareholders will receive a final dividend of $US1.96 per share. This would bring Rio’s total dividend payment for 2017 to $US3.06 per share.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MACQUARIE WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Rio, BHP output boosts payout hopes

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 15 & 17 : 15-Jan-18

Deutsche Bank expects Rio Tinto to report three per cent growth in iron ore output in the Pilbara for the December 2017 quarter, to 87.7 million tonnes, while BHP Billiton’s Pilbara production is forecast to rise by 10 per cent to a record 70.9 million tonnes. Meanwhile, Hayden Bairstow of Macquarie Group expects Rio Tinto to pay a 2017 final dividend of $US1.95 per share, for a full-year payout of $US3.05 per share. Analysts generally also expect BHP to increase its dividend payout for the 2017-18 financial year. Both companies may also boost returns to shareholders via the proceeds of asset sales.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, BLOOMBERG LP, LIBERTY HOUSE GROUP, PACIFIC ALUMINIUM PTY LTD, SAMARCO MINERACAO SA, VALE SA

Elliott wary as ANZ profit surges 18pc

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 19 & 22 : 27-Oct-17

The ANZ Bank has posted a 2016-17 cash profit of $A6.9bn, which is 18 per cent higher than previously. Revenue was one per cent lower, and CEO Shayne Elliott notes that strong competition in the banking sector is making it harder to achieve revenue growth. He adds that ANZ will continue to closely monitor its mortgage book, given the rising levels of household debt and low growth in wages. Shareholders will receive a final dividend of $A0.80 share, and a full-year payout of $A1.60.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, IOOF HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX IFL, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, DIGITAL FINANCE ANALYTICS, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY

Harvey Norman offers buy-back olive branch

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 28 : 1-Sep-17

Listed furniture and homewares retailer Harvey Norman has posted a 2016-17 after-tax net profit of $A448.9m, which is 29 per cent higher than previously. The group’s underlying net profit was up 15.7 per cent to $A390.8m, while its franchised stores in Australia recorded 5.4 per cent growth in sales, to $A5.6bn. The company’s final dividend has been reduced, although chairman Gerry Harvey has flagged the possibility of a share buyback. Harvey Norman shares closed 7.5 per cent lower at $A4.08 on 31 August.

CORPORATES
HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, OWNERSHIP MATTERS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED

‘Don’t throw away growth for dividends’

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Andrew White, David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 17 & 28 : 31-Aug-17

Data from Credit Suisse shows that 60 per cent that have a 30 June balance data increased their dividend payout in the August 2017 reporting season, while 31 per cent reduced their dividends. Perennial Value Management MD John Murray has welcomed the decision of some companies to increase their capital expenditure rather than returns to shareholders. Wilson Asset Management chairman Geoff Wilson notes that the increase in capex during the current reporting season is the strongest since 2007.

CORPORATES
PERENNIAL VALUE MANAGEMENT LIMITED, WILSON ASSET MANAGEMENT, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, NUFARM LIMITED – ASX NUF, SKYCITY ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LIMITED – ASX SKC, AMCOR LIMITED – ASX AMC, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, APA GROUP – ASX APA

FMG powers up with plan to grow, cut debt

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 & 16 : 22-Aug-17

Fortescue Metals Group shareholders will receive a 2016-17 full-year dividend of $A0.45 per share, compared with $A0.15 for the previous financial year. The pure-play iron ore miner has increased its net profit from $US985m in 2015-16 to $US2.1bn for 2016-17, while revenue was 19 per cent higher at $US8.4bn and underlying earnings rose 48 per cent to $US4.7bn. Meanwhile, Fortescue reduced its net debt from $US5.2bn to just $US2.6bn in 2016-17. Fortescue intends to increase its iron ore capital expenditure in 2017-18, while it looking to expand into commodities such as gold and copper.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ALLERON INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED

BHP to deliver six-fold jump in earnings

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by James Thomson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 21-Aug-17

The general consensus of analysts is for BHP Billiton’s underlying earnings for 2016-17 to be within the range of $US7bn to $US7.3bn, compared with $US1.2bn in 2015-16. Most analysts expect BHP’s final dividend to be around $US0.43 per share, although Credit Suisse expects a payout of $US0.36. BHP’s final dividend in 2015-16 was just $US0.14 per share. Meanwhile, investors will be hoping for some guidance on BHP’s plans for its US shale assets and the Jansen potash project.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, SHAW AND PARTNERS LIMITED, ELLIOTT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, TRIBECA GLOBAL NATURAL RESOURCES FUND, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG

NBN reality hits Telstra investors

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 18-Aug-17

Telstra has reported 2016-17 EBITDA of $A10.7 billion, up two per cent, while its profit from ongoing operations rose 1.1 per cent to $A3.9 billion. However, shares in the telco fell by 10.6 per cent on 17 August after it advised that dividend payments will be reduced in coming years, as it has to absorb higher costs in regard to the rollout of the national broadband network. Delian Entchev of Watermark Funds Management says Telstra should have changed its dividend payout ratio some time ago.

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NBN CO LIMITED, WATERMARK FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUTOHOME INCORPORATED, CITI AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Shake-up looming for North West Shelf

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 19 : 17-Aug-17

Woodside Petroleum has posted a 2017 interim net profit of $US507m, which is 49 per cent higher than previously. Shareholders will receive a half-year dividend of $US0.49 per share, an increase of 44 per cent. Meanwhile, CEO Peter Coleman has indicated that Woodside would be interested in increasing its stake in the North West Shelf project if some of its partners opt to sell down their interest in it as the LNG plant begins shifting its focus to toll-treating gas from third parties.

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG

oOh!media first-half profit jumps 22.5pc

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 15-Aug-17

Listed out-of-home advertising group oOh!media has posted a 2017 interim net profit of $A7.3m, which is 22.5 per cent higher than previously. EBITDA was 19 per cent higher at $A31.9m and revenue of $A173m was up 18 per cent. The company’s digital business contributed 52.1 per cent of group revenue for the half-year, as the company expanded its network of digital screens and billboards. Shareholders will receive a half-year dividend of $A0.045 per share.

CORPORATES
OOH!MEDIA LIMITED – ASX OML, APN OUTDOOR GROUP LIMITED – ASX APO, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, THE QUANTIUM GROUP PTY LTD, WAVESTONE CAPITAL PTY LTD, OPHIR ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD