STRATEGIC PLANNING – AUSTRALIA

Iron ore may dominate Rio profits for decade: Jacques

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 7-Aug-18

Rio Tinto has reduced its reliance on earnings from its iron ore division in recent years, although the steel input still accounted for 65 per of underlying earnings during the first half of 2018. CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques has told investors that iron ore may account for the bulk of group earnings for some years, although he said Rio Tinto is considering a number of projects in the battery sector, including lithium and cobalt. However, he stressed that Rio Tinto will only pursue diversification if it is appropriate, and capital will continue to be allocated to the best projects.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, STANDARD AND POOR’S FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC

ABC pitches for massive digital grant

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Original article by Stephen Brook
The Australian – Page: 28 : 23-Jul-18

The ABC is seeking a one-off funding boost to prepare it for the eventual termination of traditional broadcasting services and its shift to a pure-play online media company. As part of the public broadcaster’s online-only future, it proposes to establish a database containing its entire archive of audio-visual content. ABC chairman Justin Milne notes that it spends about $200m a year on broadcast infrastructure and spectrum, but it will no longer incur these costs when it ultimately shifts to an online-only platform.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE, AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL, OZEMAIL LIMITED, TELSTRA BIG POND

Browse fields deal looms for Woodside

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 20-Jul-18

The partners in the North West Shelf venture have agreed to allow the LNG plant at Karratha to process third-party gas. This will include gas from Woodside Petroleum’s Browse LNG project. The North West Shelf’s gas reserves are expected to be exhausted some time after 2021, and the deal for third-party gas processing will extend the life of the Karratha plant. Meanwhile, Woodside has advised that it produced 22.1 million barrels of oil equivalent in the June quarter, while its sales totalled $US1.08bn.

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, CHEVRON CORPORATION, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Village eyes rebound as salaries, discounts cut

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Original article by Jemima Whyte
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 11-Jul-18

Village Roadshow will use the proceeds of a $51m right issue to reduce its debt. The new shares will be offered at $1.65 apiece, which represents a discount of 24 per cent to the stock’s most recent trading price. The theme parks and cinemas group has also advised that it will cease offering discounted tickets via resellers, with co-CEO Graham Burke noting that the majority of consumers now buy tickets directly from Village Roadshow. The company will reduce its joint CEOs’ salaries and its directors’ fees as part of a strategy to cut costs.

CORPORATES
VILLAGE ROADSHOW LIMITED – ASX VRL, WARNER BROS MOVIE WORLD ENTERPRISES, SEAWORLD, WET `N’ WILD WATER PARK, TOPGOLF, VILLAGE ROADSHOW CORPORATION LIMITED, ARDENT LEISURE GROUP – ASX AAD, DREAMWORLD, GROUPON AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Village Roadshow to target debt and cinemas

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 10-Jul-18

Shares in Village Roadshow went into a trading halt on 9 July, pending an announcement on a possible capital raising. There is speculation that the cinemas, theme parks and film group will seek to raise about $50m. Village Roadshow has significantly reduced its debt in the last year, while it recently divested the Wet’n’Wild Water Park in Sydney. The new Topgolf business is one of its priorities looking forward.

CORPORATES
VILLAGE ROADSHOW LIMITED – ASX VRL, WET `N’ WILD WATER PARK, TOPGOLF, PARQUES REUNIDOS, ORANGE SKY GOLDEN HARVEST ENTERTAINMENT (HOLDINGS) LIMITED, WARNER BROS MOVIE WORLD ENTERPRISES, LGIASUPER, ARDENT LEISURE GROUP – ASX AAD, DREAMWORLD, LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MINTER ELLISON

No more low-doc lending, CBA says

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Original article by Anthony Klan
The Australian – Page: 6 : 5-Jul-18

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has advised that it will cease issuing low-documentation mortgage loans. These products have come under scrutiny amid revelations that mortgage brokers have falsified clients’ income in order to write loans. Low-documentation loans now account for 1.8 per cent of mortgage loans, compared with 7.6 per cent in 2010. CBA also intends to shift from a volume-based remuneration system for mortgage brokers rather than one based on the value of loans written.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY

CBA retreats to simpler bank model

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Original article by Alice Uribe, Joyce Moullakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 18 : 26-Jun-18

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia will focus on its core banking operations after revealing plans to demerge its wealth management, financial planning and mortgage broking assets into a separately listed company. Analysts says the move was widely expected given the reforms that are likely to emerge from the banking royal commission. CBA has advised that it will not hold a stake in CFS Group, which is expected to have a market capitalisation of around $A8bn. CBA may also divest its general insurance business in a separate transaction.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CFS GROUP, COLONIAL FIRST STATE GROUP LIMITED, COLONIAL FIRST STATE GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT, COUNT FINANCIAL LIMITED, FINANCIAL WISDOM LIMITED, AUSSIE HOME LOANS LIMITED, MORTGAGE CHOICE LIMITED – ASX MOC, COUNTPLUS LIMITED – ASX CUP, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, MLC LIMITED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, BT FINANCIAL GROUP PTY LTD, CONCENTRATED LEADERS FUND LIMITED – ASX CLF, SHAW AND PARTNERS LIMITED, MORNINGSTAR PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH FINANCIAL PLANNING LIMITED, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP

Bottled-up investment plans freed

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Original article by James Thomson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 36 : 22-Jun-18

Australian mining companies are capitalising on factors such as rising commodity prices and strong balance sheets to ramp up investment. BHP Billiton and Fortescue Metals Group recently announced plans for new iron ore mines in the Pilbara, while South32 has struck a deal to acquire Arizona Mining. However, much of the new investment is intended to replace projects that are nearing the end of their mine life, while miners are also pursuing growth plans that were put on hold following the end of the mining boom.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, ARIZONA MINING INCORPORATED, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, ATLAS IRON LIMITED – ASX AGO, OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, PEMBROKE RESOURCES PTY LTD, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, EMR CAPITAL PTY LTD, PT ADARO ENERGY TBK, GLENCORE PLC

Rio’s flexible approach in production revamp

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 19-Jun-18

Rio Tinto has advised that its iron ore production and rail capacity is expected to rise to 360 million tonnes by the end of 2019, in line with its port capacity. The resources group has previously forecast that iron ore production for 2018 will be within the range of 330 million to 340 million tonnes. Rio Tinto has also signalled that it will adopt a "value over volume" strategy for its Pilbara operations, which will allow it to adjust production of different iron ore products in response to demand from buyers or changes in the price of the steel input.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, ROY HILL HOLDINGS PTY LTD

Stand-alone Coles to turn up dial on capex

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 8-Jun-18

Coles has indicated plans to boost capital expenditure after it is demerged from Wesfarmers, in part because the food and liquor retailer needs to refurbish stores. Coles may need to raise capital in order to finance its expenditure plans, depending on the amount of debt that Wesfarmers decides to leave it with. Coles MD John Durkan says he anticipates that the total Australian grocery market will grow by around three per cent a year.

CORPORATES
COLES GROUP LIMITED, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, WAVESTONE CAPITAL PTY LTD, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED, STANDARD AND POOR’S (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED