Dick Smith put in fire sale bin

Original article by Kylar Loussikian
The Australian – Page: 15 & 16 : 6-Jan-16

Ferrier Hodgson hopes to sell the Dick Smith consumer electronics business as a going concern, although some analysts question whether there will be much interest in the retailer. Dick Smiths Holdings’ lenders appointed Ferrier Hodgson as receivers after the listed company went into voluntary administration. Dick Smith owes creditors about $A300m, while people who hold gift vouchers will not be able to redeem them.

CORPORATES
DICK SMITH HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX DSH, FERRIER HODGSON AND COMPANY, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, PMP LIMITED – ASX PMP, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, McGRATH NICOL AND PARTNERS SERVICES PTY LTD, CYAN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, IG MARKETS LIMITED, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, AFFINITY EDUCATION GROUP LIMITED, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FORAGER FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU LIMITED, BLACKROCK INCORPORATED, FIDELITY WORLDWIDE INVESTMENT, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, BLOOMBERG LP, THE GOOD GUYS

Dick Smith bankers call in receivers

Original article by John Durie, Kylar Loussikian
The Australian – Page: 14 & 16 : 5-Jan-16

Dick Smith Holdings went into voluntary administration on 4 January 2016, after the listed consumer electronics retailer’s shares were placed in a trading halt. National Australia Bank and HSBC have also appointed receivers from Ferrier Hodgson to the embattled group. Dick Smith shares were trading at $A0.35 on 31 December 2015, having reached a low of $A0.20 earlier in the month. The company was listed on the sharemarket at $A2.20 in late 2013.

CORPORATES
DICK SMITH HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX DSH, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, FERRIER HODGSON AND COMPANY, LION NATHAN LIMITED, GEORGE WESTON FOODS LIMITED, WILLIAM ROBERTS LAWYERS, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, FORAGER FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

Dick Smith on defence as shares fall

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 1-Dec-15

Shares in Dick Smith Holdings closed 57 per cent lower at $A0.28 on 30 November 2015, after reaching an intra-day low of $A0.20. The sell-off was prompted by the household electronics retailer’s decision to write down the value of its inventory by 20 per cent. Some fund managers have questioned whether Dick Smith will remain solvent, but such concerns have been downplayed by the retailer. Dick Smith shares were issued at $A2.20 in 2013, providing a huge windfall for Anchorage Capital Partners.

CORPORATES
DICK SMITH HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX DSH, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, FORAGER FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

Gerry Harvey faces possible strike and spill

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 24-Nov-15

The "two strikes" rule could be invoked at the 2015 annual meeting of retailer Harvey Norman, after more than 25 per cent of shareholders voted against its remuneration report in 2014. Executive chairman Gerry Harvey argues that the group’s executives are paid less than the bulk of companies that are of a comparable size. Harvey and the family of late co-founder Ian Norman have sufficient voting power to thwart a board spill if they choose to do so. Harvey traditionally does not vote on the remuneration report.

CORPORATES
HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, AUSTRALIAN SHAREHOLDERS’ ASSOCIATION

Nothing small about the small electrical market

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Sep-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that Australians spend more than $A260m buying almost 1.7 million small electrical items in an average four weeks. The survey, which was carried out in the year to June 2015, also shows that Australian bought 233,500 small electrical goods from The Good Guys during an average four-week period, ahead of Harvey Norman (208,000). Meanwhile, more than one in 10 small electronic items are now purchased online (179,000 during an average four weeks). Of these, some 134,500 items are bought through online-only stores such as Appliances Online and Deals Direct. The remainder are purchased via the online sites of bricks-and-mortar retailers.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, THE GOOD GUYS, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, APPLIANCES ONLINE PTY LTD, DEALSDIRECT.COM.AU PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TARGET COUNTRY, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, GODFREYS GROUP LIMITED – ASX GFY, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, BING LEE ELECTRICS PTY LTD, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, EBAY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND PTY LTD, BETTA ELECTRICAL PTY LTD, DICK SMITH HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX DSH, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED

Sunbeam blenders help to cook up profit surge at GUD

Original article by Jared Lynch, Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 31-Jul-15

Australian-listed GUD Holdings has posted a 2014-15 net profit of $A33.2m, which is 88 per cent higher than previously. Group revenue was three per cent higher at $A611.5m. The Sunbeam appliances division recorded underlying EBIT of $A7.3m. The 383 per cent increase has been attributed to the introduction of new products and reduced freight costs. GUD Holdings’ shares closed 10.9 per cent higher at $A9.38 on 30 July 2015.

CORPORATES
GUD HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX GUD, SUNBEAM CORPORATION LIMITED, DEXION LIMITED, DAVEY PRODUCTS PTY LTD, RYCO PTY LTD, OATES CLEAN, JARDEN CORPORATION LIMITED

Winter vortex warms retailers’ hearts

Original article by Patrick Hatch
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 16-Jul-15

Australian retailers have enjoyed a surge in sales of warm clothing and heaters due to the onset of very cold weather in the eastern states in mid-July 2015. The Good Guys’ sales of portable heaters have risen by 20 per cent in Victoria and 22 per cent in New South Wales, while Melbourne clothing retailers Otto & Spike and The Coat Man have reported strong demand for their products. Bogong Equipment’s sales of skiing gear have also risen strongly.

CORPORATES
THE GOOD GUYS, OTTO AND SPIKE, THE COAT MAN, BOGONG EQUIPMENT PTY LTD, LMB KNITWEAR PTY LTD

Shriro warms investors’ hearts with barbecue

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

Breville wants ‘internet of things’ future

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 8-Apr-15

Australian-listed Breville Group has advised that LG executive Jim Clayton will become CEO in July 2015. Breville chairman Steven Fisher says the company will pursue growth by developing a range of household appliances that are connected to the internet, with a focus on Wi-Fi in particular. However, he has ruled out an expansion into the wearable technology sector

CORPORATES
BREVILLE GROUP LIMITED – ASX BRG, LG ELECTRONICS INCORPORATED, APPLE INCORPORATED, JAWBONE, FITBIT INCORPORATED, GARMIN LIMITED, SYMPHONY TECHNOLOGY GROUP, SYMPHONY-METRO, McKINSEY AND COMPANY, THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INCORPORATED, KORN/FERRY INTERNATIONAL

Gerry Harvey upbeat on retail sales outlook

Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 : 15-Jan-15

Citigroup’s Craig Woolford estimates that Australian retailers generally enjoyed same-store sales growth of 2-3 per cent during the 2014 Christmas and New Year period. Harvey Norman recorded strong growth in sales, according to chairman Gerry Harvey, and he is optimistic about the group’s prospects for 2015. Harvey Norman shares closed $A0.23 higher at $A3.69 on 14 January, and Merrill Lynch has upgraded its share price target to $A4

CORPORATES
HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, INCU PTY LTD, SUPER RETAIL GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUL, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV, PETER ALEXANDER SLEEPWEAR PTY LTD, JUST JEANS PTY LTD, PORTMANS PTY LTD, SMIGGLE PTY LTD, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, NET-A-PORTER.COM LIMITED, MR PORTER