FUND MANAGEMENT – AUSTRALIA

Hard times loom for Future Fund

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Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 21 : 16-Oct-14

David Neal, MD of the Future Fund, has unveiled a 2013-14 rate of return of 14.3% for the Australian Government’s civil service superannuation liabilities manager. This is up from the previous estimate of 13.9%, and follows a result of 15%-plus in 2012-13. However despite further growth of 2.9% in the first quarter of 2014-15, Neal warns that the performance will now level off due to the tapering of quantitative easing and rising interest rates in the US. This was backed by investment strategy and risk head Stephen Gilmore, while chief investment officer Raphael Arndt said the Future Fund may invest in infrastructure assets privatised by state governments

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FUTURE FUND MANAGEMENT AGENCY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

After the wipeout, Great Southern investors stand to lose homes

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Original article by Dennis Shanahan, Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 21 : 15-Oct-14

The Supreme Court of Victoria will in late October 2014 rule on whether a settlement can be ratified that will mean Bendigo & Adelaide Bank can bring bankruptcy proceedings against investment loan borrowers. The about 47,000 customers had bought into the rural managed investment schemes of Great Southern between 2005 and 2008, and owe some $A398m. They will also claw back less than $A16 for every $A10,000 they lost in the collapse. Law firm MacPherson & Kelley, representing the investors, will gain close to $A20m

CORPORATES
BENDIGO AND ADELAIDE BANK LIMITED – ASX BEN, GREAT SOUTHERN LIMITED, MACPHERSON AND KELLEY LAWYERS PTY LTD, SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, TIMBERCORP LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

Trilogy takes action against KPMG, partner

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Original article by Sarah Danckert
The Australian – Page: 18 : 2-Oct-14

A lawsuit is being launched by Trilogy Funds Management against KPMG partner Jillian Richards, as well as the accounting firm. They are accused of unconscionable, misleading and deceptive conduct, in relation to the City Pacific First Mortgage Fund. Trilogy assumed management duties for the entity when parent City Pacific collapsed in 2008-09, and claims that KPMG performed a flawed audit. However, no action over the affair has been taken by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission

CORPORATES
TRILOGY FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED, PACIFIC FIRST MORTGAGE FUND, CITY PACIFIC LIMITED, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

Scales tipped in favour of $400m Huon IPO

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Original article by Bridget Carter
The Australian – Page: 18 : 29-Sep-14

Huon Aquaculture, which has a share of 40% of the salmon market in Australia, is staging an IPO worth more than $A400m. Simon Marais, MD of fund management firm Allan Gray Australia, notes that with Tassal commanding 50% the industry is a virtual duopoly, and this will underpin good earnings prospects for Huon. However there are some doubts by others, based on the long maturation period of three years for salmon stocks. Also planning a float is jewellery company Lovisa

CORPORATES
TASSAL GROUP LIMITED – ASX TGR, HUON AQUACULTURE COMPANY PTY LTD, LOVISA PTY LTD, ALLAN GRAY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PETUNA AQUACULTURE PTY LTD, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, CIMB SECURITIES INTERNATIONAL (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, MORGANS FINANCIAL LIMITED

Sydney’s financial dreams fall flat as Asian cities climb ranks

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 26-Sep-14

The importance of Sydney as an international financial centre is diminishing, while big Asian cities are becoming more important. The Global Financial Centres Index, published by the Z/Yen Group, ranks Sydney 23th and Melbourne 24th. Sydney was ranked ninth in 2007. More must be done to strengthen the Australian funds management industry. The Financial Services Council supports the introduction of an investment manager regime which offers tax incentives to foreign investors

CORPORATES
FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, Z/YEN GROUP LIMITED

Woolworths’ pub fund lightens load with $603m property sale

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Original article by Ben Wilmot, Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 17 : 9-Sep-14

Real estate funds management group Charter Hall and industry superannuation fund HOSTPLUS will jointly pay $A603m via a new unlisted vehicle to acquire pub assets. The seller of the freehold properties is the ALH Group linked to bottle shops and pubs operator Woolworths. The latter, through its venture with entrepreneur Bruce Mathieson, will lease back the 54 sites. The real estate holdings divestment by Woolworths has now reached $A2.9bn in value

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, CHARTER HALL GROUP – ASX CHC, AUSTRALIAN LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY GROUP LIMITED, BRUANDWO PTY LTD, HOST-PLUS, MH CARNEGIE AND COMPANY PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN PUBS FUND, DAN MURPHY’S, BWS – BEER WINE SPIRITS, SHOPPING CENTRES AUSTRALASIA PROPERTY GROUP – ASX SCP, LAUNDY HOTELS PTY LTD, TELSTRA STAFF SUPERANNUATION SCHEME, ALE PROPERTY GROUP – ASX LEP, HOTEL PROPERTIES INVESTMENTS – ASX HPI, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES

FSI should focus on transparency, says fundie

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

The Australian Government’s financial system inquiry should focus on transparency and conflicts of interests. David Booth, co-founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors, says governments tend to over-react when the banking system is under strain. Over-regulation will not prevent future problems if the potential for conflicts of interests is not eliminated. Dimensional Fund Advisors does not pay commissions to financial advisers

CORPORATES
DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS INCORPORATED, THE VANGUARD GROUP INCORPORATED

Perpetual returns to global equities

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Original article by Ruth Liew
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 29-Aug-14

Listed fund manager Perpetual has reported a 2013-14 net profit of $A81.6m, which is 34 per cent higher than previously. Funds under management increased by 18 per cent to $A29.8bn. Perpetual will make a new push into international shares following the appointment of Garry Laurence to head its Global Share Fund. Perpetual shareholders will receive a final dividend of $A0.95 per share

CORPORATES
PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT, PERPETUAL’S GLOBAL SHARE FUND, THE TRUST COMPANY LIMITED, PM CAPITAL LIMITED, WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLP, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, PLATINUM ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED – ASX PTM, MAGELLAN ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TYNDALL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED

ATO freezes assets of Perth investor

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Original article by Sarah Danckert
The Australian – Page: 17 : 18-Aug-14

The directors of Swiss entity Growth Investment Fund have been ordered by the Federal Court of Australia to comply with an assets freeze order sought by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The agency says there is an outstanding tax liability of $A14m, and the move applies to a stock portfolio worth $A9.5m as well as a total of four bank accounts held in Australia, France and Switzerland. It is believed the ATO’s action stems from a "Project Wickenby" investigation of a Perth-based investor

CORPORATES
GROWTH INVESTMENT FUND, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, COCA-COLA AMATIL LIMITED – ASX CCL, REGIS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RRL, EMPIRED LIMITED – ASX EPD, EUROZ LIMITED – ASX EZL, EUROZ SECURITIES LIMITED, MONAVAL VERMOGENSVERWALTUNGS AG, ZERO NOMINEES PTY LTD

Fosun’s cash offer wins Roc Oil

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 18 : 5-Aug-14

Fund management firm Allan Gray, which has a 19% stake in Australian-listed Roc Oil, has given its support to a takeover offer worth $A474m. The suitor is private Chinese group Fosun, which will pay $A0.69 a share in cash. Allan Gray had previously lobbied against an attempt by Roc to stage a merger of equals with Horizon Oil that required no stockholder vote, and it motivated 51% of Roc’s investors to demand a say on the proposal. Roc will now be delisted by Fosun, and on 4 August 2014 the stock closed $A0.045 higher at $A0.675. Horizon shares fell $A0.025 to $A0.345

CORPORATES
ROC OIL COMPANY LIMITED – ASX ROC, HORIZON OIL LIMITED – ASX HZN, FOSUN INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, ALLAN GRAY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, OSAKA GAS COMPANY, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX