RETAIL TRADE – AUSTRALIA

Coles MD says suppliers living on Treasure Island

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 17 : 9-Dec-15

Coles MD John Durkan has criticised global suppliers of brand-name groceries for charging excessive prices in Australia, a concern he first raised in 2008. He concedes that consumers must be expected to pay a reasonable price for groceries, but he says cost increases in Australia should not be higher than in other countries. Durkan adds that more consumers will switch to supermarkets’ private-label products if the cost of branded groceries keeps rising.

CORPORATES
COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, COLES GROUP LIMITED, ARNOTT’S BISCUITS LIMITED, COCA-COLA AMATIL LIMITED – ASX CCL, SCHWEPPES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, AUSTRALIAN FOOD AND GROCERY COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

No shock at plunge: Dick Smith

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Original article by Patrick Hatch
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 : 8-Dec-15

Shares in Dick Smith Holdings (DSH) closed at $A0.36 on 7 December 2015, after reaching a low of $A0.20 in the previous week. The household electronics retailer’s stock was issued at $A2.20 in a $A520m IPO in 2013. Businessman Dick Smith says investors should not be surprised by the slump, noting that Woolworths has sold DSH for just $A94m only one year before the float. However, Smith is confident that the fortunes of the company he founded in 1968 can be revived.

CORPORATES
DICK SMITH HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX DSH, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, APPLE INCORPORATED, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY LIMITED

7-Eleven affair a signal to franchisors

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Original article by Adele Ferguson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 40 : 7-Dec-15

A revised franchise agreement that has been proposed by 7-Eleven Australia indemnifies head office for any future liability for underpaid staff. However, the convenience store chain has agreed to pay the first $A25m of any claims for unpaid wages that are received by the independent wage review panel that was set up in response to the wage exploitation scandal. Franchisees will be required to pay the next $A5m worth of claims, but head office will equally share any liability for claims beyond this sum. This has significant implications for other franchisees, amid claims that the wage scandal is not limited to 7-Eleven.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, BAKER’S DELIGHT HOLDINGS LIMITED, UNITED PETROLEUM PTY LTD, SUBWAY SANDWICHES PTY LTD, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, PIZZA HUT AUSTRALIA, EAGLE BOYS PIZZA, NANDO’S AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, 7-ELEVEN FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION, LEVITT ROBINSON

The state of Australia’s $37.8b online shopping landscape

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 2-Dec-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that Australians spent an estimated $A37.8 billion online in the year to June 2015. About 4 in 10 Australians buy at least one product online during an average four-week period. The new State of the Nation Retail Spotlight report shows that 6.5 per cent of Australians aged 14+ now buy tickets to shows, movies or events online in an average four weeks. This is followed by travel (6.4 per cent), women’s clothing (5.6 per cent), books (5.2 per cent) and music downloads (4.8 per cent). Roy Morgan Research CEO Michele Levine says it is important that traditional retailers stop viewing online as a threat, and instead as an opportunity to reach and appeal to customers in different ways.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

The power of Tim Tams: Arnott’s puts bite on Coles in price war

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 2 : 1-Dec-15

Coles will no longer stock certain Arnott’s products following a pricing dispute with the biscuit maker. Arnott’s had sought price rises ranging from 2.2 per cent to 9.9 per cent on more than 40 of its popular biscuit products, and the supermarket chain’s resistance prompted a ban on deliveries of Arnott’s products to its stores. Coles eventually backed down, although it has refused to accept price increases on some products and will cease selling them.

CORPORATES
COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ARNOTT’S BISCUITS LIMITED, CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, FOSTER’S GROUP LIMITED

Dick Smith on defence as shares fall

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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

Woolies shareholders look for green shoots

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 26-Nov-15

Woolworths’ strategy to turn around the performance of its supermarkets division is likely to come under scrutiny at its AGM on 26 November 2015. Some shareholders do not expect any real improvement in the business for another 6-12 months, following Woolworths’ move to reduce grocery prices and ramp up investment in its supermarkets. The future of assets such as the Masters and Big W businesses are also likely to be a key focus for investors.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, LUMINIS PARTNERS PTY LTD, DICK SMITH HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX DSH, ANCHORAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, BEST AND LESS PTY LTD, NBN CO LIMITED

State of the Nation: Australian Retail

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Nov-15

Roy Morgan Research CEO Michele Levine presented the latest State of the Nation Report on 24 November 2015, with a special Spotlight on Retail. The report shows that Australians spent more than $A100bn on consumer goods in the 2014-15 financial year, which is five per cent higher than previously. The report also shows that Australians’ online expenditure rose by 9.7 per cent in 2014-15, to $A37.8bn, while an estimated 72 per cent of online expenditure (or about $A27bn) is on Australian online-only sites or the internet offerings of local retailers. Michele Levine says today’s shoppers want (and expect) it all, and to be able to get it by whatever device or channel suits them best, and Australia’s most successful retailers are those that can supply the demand from all angles.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Gerry Harvey faces possible strike and spill

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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

Aldi favours shock and awe over surprise in SA invasion

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 19-Nov-15

Germany-based Aldi aims to open 16 stores in South Australia during 2016, with the first store slated to open on 3 February. Tom Kierath of Morgan Stanley forecasts that Aldi will boast a market share of about five per cent within 12 months of entering the state’s grocery sector. More than 35 per cent of Australians now shop at an Aldi store in an average four-week period, according to a survey by Roy Morgan Research. Aldi will also expand into Western Australia in 2016.

CORPORATES
ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, IGA, METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS