RETAIL TRADE – AUSTRALIA

Super Retail punished for $134m Macpac buy

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 19 : 21-Feb-18

Super Retail Group has reported a 2017-18 interim net profit of $A72.2m, which is three per cent lower than previously and below analysts’ forecasts. Group sales rose by 2.2 per cent to $A1.323bn, although its BCF and Rays businesses underperformed. Meanwhile, Super Retail’s shares closed 14.5 per cent lower on 20 February after the group revealed plans to acquire outdoor adventurewear retailer Macpac for $A134m. Shareholders will receive an interim dividend of $A0.215 per share.

CORPORATES
SUPER RETAIL GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUL, BCF BOATING CAMPING FISHING, RAYS, MACPAC WILDERNESS EQUIPMENT, SUPER CHEAP AUTO, REBEL SPORT LIMITED

Abboud on list as Myer chases chief

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Original article by Bridget Carter
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 21-Feb-18

Department store group Myer Holdings has engaged the services of executive search firm Spencer Stuart to find a successor to dumped CEO Richard Umbers. Spencer Stuart is said to be in the early stages of identifying potential candidates, but former David Jones CEO Paul Zahra is believed to be the leading contender for the role. Other potential candidates are said to include ex-Dick Smith Holdings CEO Nick Abboud and PAS Group CEO Eric Morris. Abboud and Morris have both previously held executive roles at Myer.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, SPENCER STUART AND ASSOCIATES, DAVID JONES LIMITED, DICK SMITH HOLDINGS LIMITED, THE PAS GROUP LIMITED – ASX PGR, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV, BRISCOES, CENTRAL DEPARTMENT STORE GROUP, HOLT RENFREW AND COMPANY LIMITED, FOSCHINI GROUP

Myer in disarray as CEO axed

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 15-Feb-18

Listed department store group Myer Holdings has sacked CEO Richard Umbers after issuing its third profit downgrade in less than 12 months. However, executive chairman Garry Hounsell says the group will persist with the "new Myer" turnaround strategy that Umbers launched in 2015, despite the fact that its targets have not been met. Major shareholder Premier Investments has renewed its criticism of Myer in the wake of Umbers’ departure, and argues that the entire board needs to be replaced.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV, TPG CAPITAL LP

Wesfarmers hit as Bunnings UK bleeds

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 6-Feb-18

Perth-based conglomerate Wesfarmers has announced some $A1.3bn worth of writedowns associated with the Target discount department store chain and the fledgling Bunnings operations in the UK. Wesfarmers CEO Rob Scott is optimistic that Bunnings UK can become profitable, but a sweeping review of the business will be undertaken which could potentially result in its sale or closure. Scott has vowed that Wesfarmers will act quickly and decisively on the outcome of the review of its Bunnings UK business.

CORPORATES
WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIQUOR, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ARGO INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX ARG

JB Hi-Fi wins again, but Freedom biggest improver

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Jan-18

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey shows that JB Hi-Fi is again Australia’s leading electrical and furniture retailer, with a customer satisfaction rating of 90.9% in November 2017. JB Hi-Fi’s customer satisfaction improved 0.5% from a year ago to hold off a fast improving Ikea on 89.6% (up 5.2% from a year ago), and ahead of JB Hi-Fi stablemate The Good Guys on 88.7%. However, the biggest improver over the past year was Freedom, which increased its customer satisfaction rating by 6.4% to 81.8% in November – its highest rating since April 2014. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says JB Hi-Fi is in the box seat to win its fourth Roy Morgan Annual Customer Satisfaction Award at the 2017 Awards in February, adding that between them JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys have won a total of 8 Annual Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards since 2011.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, IKEA TRADING PTY LTD, THE GOOD GUYS, FREEDOM FURNITURE, FANTASTIC FURNITURE, STEINHOFF INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED

Consumers are in surprisingly sunny mood

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 41 : 25-Jan-18

UBS forcasts that Australian retail sales will rise by 2.6 per cent overall in 2018, while growth in discretionary spending is expected to slow to just two per cent. Craig James of CommSec notes that consumers were upbeat leading into 2018, citing factors such as historically low interest rates, the strong growth in jobs in 2017 and the recent rise in the value of the Australian dollar. However, the ANZ/Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence index has eased 3.3 per cent to 119.9, although consumer confidence is still higher that its long-term average of 112.9.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH SECURITIES LIMITED, ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, NONI B LIMITED – ASX NBL, ADAIRS LIMITED – ASX ADH, LOVISA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX LOV, RETAIL FOOD GROUP LIMITED – ASX RFG, THE PAS GROUP LIMITED – ASX PGR, AUSTRALIAN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED – ASX API, PRICELINE PHARMACY, MICHAEL HILL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED – ASX MHJ, EMMA AND ROE, KATHMANDU HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX KMD, ARNHEM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD

Spendless Shoes tops The Athlete’s Foot

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-Jan-18

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey shows that Spendless Shoes has Australia’s most satisfied shoe store customers, with a customer satisfaction rating of 86.7% in November 2017. This is a significant increase of 3.5% from a year ago. The Athlete’s Foot is close behind with a customer satisfaction rating of 86.4%, up 3.8% on a year ago. Betts/Betts Kids also has a customer satisfaction rating of 86.4%, up 16.9% over the last 12 months. In fact, all five leading shoe stores in Australia increased their customer satisfaction over the last 12 months, including fourth-placed Mathers on 84.7% and previous Annual award winners Williams The Shoemen just behind on 84.4%. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says the closeness of the results in November, with all leading shoe stores scoring customer satisfaction ratings above 80%, shows the intensely competitive nature of the industry as retailers Australia-wide deal with the entry of US retail giant Amazon.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, SPENDLESS SHOES PTY LTD, THE ATHLETE’S FOOT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BETTS, BETTS KIDS, MATHERS SHOES PTY LTD, WILLIAMS THE SHOEMEN, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED

Rebel well placed to take on Decathlon

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-Jan-18

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey shows that Rebel is again Australia’s leading sports store, with a customer satisfaction rating of 89.2% in November 2017. This is up 3.0% from a year ago, as competition hots up in Australia’s sporting goods market. Closest rival Sports Power also scored an impressive customer satisfaction rating of 86.5% in November, up 2.5% over the past year, while Sportsco had a satisfaction rating of 73.7%. French sports store giant Decathlon entered the Australian sporting goods market in 2016 with an online presence, and the Decathlon "warehouse" store opened pre-Christmas in suburban Sydney is the first of up to 100 stores Decathlon plans to open in Australia. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says Rebel’s performance in 2017 has been exceptional with the company taking out several monthly Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards during the year and heavily favoured to build on its successive victories in 2015 and 2016 in the annual Roy Morgan Annual Customer Satisfaction Awards in February.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, REBEL SPORT LIMITED, SPORTS POWER, SPORTSCO PTY LTD, DECATHLON

Life yet in department stores says Macy’s exec

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Original article by Patrick Hatch
The Age – Page: 20 : 16-Jan-18

Terry Lundgren, the executive chairman of US department store chain Macy’s, says Australian retailers should aim to compete with Amazon by offering unique products and a unique shopping experience. Lundgren is upbeat about the outlook for department stores, and says they can survive by adapting their business models to reflect changes in the sector. Macy’s has scaled back its store numbers in recent years and opened discount outlets in some of its stores. Myer Holdings has adopted the same strategies in Australia.

CORPORATES
RH MACY AND COMPANY INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, BLOOMINGDALES, BLUEMERCURY, TJ MAXX, NATIONAL RETAILERS FEDERATION

Amazon to trigger big change in ad spending

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 20-Dec-17

UBS forecast that Amazon will boast revenue of $A3.5 billion in Australia by 2023, while Morgan Stanley expects it to be generating revenue of $A12 billion by 2026. Search marketing firm Adthena forecasts that Amazon’s share of internet searches in retail categories could be between 40 per cent and 70 per cent by 2023, which will require existing Australian retailers to change their advertising strategies and improve their online sites. PHD Media CEO Mark Coad notes that Amazon is effectively becoming a default search engine for some consumers when it comes to looking for products.

CORPORATES
AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ADTHENA, PHD MEDIA, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, KOGAN.COM LIMITED – ASX KGN, THE GOOD GUYS, APPLIANCES ONLINE PTY LTD, M&C SAATCHI AGENCY PTY LTD, BOHEMIA