Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 23 : 31-Aug-16
SurfStitch reported a loss of more than $A155 million and an underlying EBITDA loss of $A18.8 million for 2015-16. The results of the Australian-listed online retailer included $A99.3 million in impairments to goodwill and aged inventory. Investors abandoned the company, with shares falling $A0.125, or 54.3 per cent, to $A0.105 on 31 August 2016.
CORPORATES
SURFSTITCH GROUP LIMITED – ASX SRF
Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 30-Aug-16
The Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association has reviewed nearly 100 enterprise agreements in response to the Fair Work Commission’s decision to strike down its pay deal with Coles. The SDA’s national secretary, Gerard Dwyer, has warned that the ruling means that the union will have to cease the long-standing practice of trading off penalty rates in return for gaining higher base rates of pay for its members. The FWC ruled that the Coles enterprise agreement breached the "no disadvantage" test.
CORPORATES
SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION
Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 19 & 23 : 26-Aug-16
Australian-listed retailer Woolworths has posted a 2015-16 net loss of $A1.23bn, while revenue was down 1.2 per cent at $A58.08bn. The result was marred by write-downs and impairment charges exceeding $A4bn. CEO Brad Banducci says further reducing grocery prices will continue to be a priority in 2016-17. He adds that there was 0.3 per cent growth in like-for-like store sales during the first eight weeks of the financial year. Shareholders will receive a final dividend of $A0.33 per share.
CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, ENDEAVOUR DRINKS GROUP, DAN MURPHY’S, AUSTRALIAN LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY GROUP LIMITED
Original article by James Thomson, Sarah Thompson, John Stensholt, Anthony Macdonald
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 22 : 25-Aug-16
Australian-listed retailer Woolworths has advised that its Masters Home Improvement stores will be closed by mid-December 2016. Woolworths will sell the Home Timber & Hardware business to Mitre 10 owner Metcash for $A165m. Meanwhile, the Home Consortium will pay $A725m for 61 Masters stores and 21 development sites, with plans to convert the stores into large-format retail centres with multiple tenants. In a separate deal, the Australian arm of US auction house Great American Group will pay about $A500m for the Masters hardware inventory.
CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, MITRE 10 LIMITED, HOME CONSORTIUM, GREAT AMERICAN GROUP, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, SPOTLIGHT STORES PTY LTD, CHEMIST WAREHOUSE, AURRUM PTY LTD, ANACONDA STORES PTY LTD, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, THE GOOD GUYS, DAN MURPHY’S, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, BAKER AND McKENZIE, THE BLACKSTONE GROUP LP, STOCKLAND – ASX SGP, CHARTER HALL GROUP – ASX CHC, VICINITY CENTRES – ASX VCX, MACQUARIE CAPITAL PTY LTD
Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 11 : 24-Aug-16
It is estimated that Woolworths’ petrol stations business could fetch between $A1.3bn and $A1.5bn. Dale Koenders of Citigroup believes that Caltex Australia is likely to be the only bidder for the fuel retailing business, and Caltex CEO Julian Segal says his company would be interested in the division if it is put on the market. Caltex also intends to trial revamped convenience stores at some of its petrol stations. The pilot stores will feature quick service restaurants, fresh food and barista-made coffee.
CORPORATES
CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, INVESTORS MUTUAL LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, VIVA ENERGY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, VIVA ENERGY REIT – ASX VVR
Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 23-Aug-16
Australian-listed retailer Woolworths has again changed its customer loyalty scheme. This is the third modification of the scheme in 10 months. The company decided to reintroduce Qantas Frequent Flyer points in order to make the system more attractive to AB-demographic shoppers, who switched to other supermarkets when these points were removed from the scheme in 2015. Analysts have welcomed the changes to the scheme.
CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, BWS – BEER WINE SPIRITS, CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR RETAIL STUDIES, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN
Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 19-Aug-16
Australian-listed Beacon Lighting Group has posted a 2015-16 statutory net profit of $A18.3m, which is eight 8 per cent higher than previously. However, Beacon recorded a 14.6 per cent decline in profits during the second half, which it attributes to large price discounts on lighting products by Masters Home Improvement. Beacon recorded overall sales growth of 7.7 per cent, while same-store sales grew by just 2.7 per cent.
CORPORATES
BEACON LIGHTING GROUP LIMITED – ASX BLX, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MORGANS FINANCIAL LIMITED
Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 9-Aug-16
Coles will launch a new milk brand in the third week of August 2016. The new product will be priced higher than the supermarket chain’s private label milk, which costs $A1.00 per litre. Coles intends to divert $A0.20 a litre from sales of the new product to a hardship and innovation fund. Victorian dairy farmers, who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of the Farmers Fund, see the initiative as a marketing stunt. They say they would prefer being paid more for milk.
CORPORATES
COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MURRAY GOULBURN CO-OPERATIVE COMPANY LIMITED, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, FARMERS FUND, FARMERS OWN, NURTURE FUND, AUSTRALIAN DAIRY FARMERS’ LIMITED, DAIRY AUSTRALIA, VICTORIAN FARMERS FEDERATION
Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 16 : 26-Jul-16
Shares in Woolworths closed 8.2 per cent higher at $A24.30 on 25 July 2016, after the retail giant unveiled a restructuring program. Woolworths’ financial results for fiscal 2016 will be hit by restructuring costs in excess of $A4bn, while its EBIT will fall sharply. The turnaround strategy includes the closure of underperforming stores, the retrenchment of 500 employees at its head office and the sale of EziBuy. CEO Brad Banducci says Woolworths could also consider further asset sales in the future in order to retain its investment grade credit rating.
CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, EZIBUY, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, AUSTRALIAN LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY GROUP LIMITED, THE QUANTIUM GROUP PTY LTD, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, PERPETUAL INVESTMENTS
Original article by Anna Patty
The Age – Page: 21 : 23-Jun-16
A 7-Eleven store in Brisbane has been ordered to pay a penalty of more than $A400,000 for worker exploitation. An investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman revealed that 12 employees were underpaid more than $A82,000. Maurice Blackburn’s Brisbane employment principal Giri Sivaraman has warned that the owner of the store could opt for bankruptcy, depriving the affected workers of their compensation.
CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, MAURICE BLACKBURN PTY LTD
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