STRATEGIC PLANNING – AUSTRALIA

Spending cuts keep coming as BHP Billiton starts strongly

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 & 30 : 22-Oct-15

BHP Billiton has reported that its petroleum division’s output for the September 2015 quarter was 65 million barrels of oil equivalent. The group will reduce the division’s capital expenditure by a further $US200m ($A275m) in 2015-16, to $US2.9bn. Glyn Lawcock of UBS says that while additional cost reductions will be harder to achieve after several years of cutbacks, he believes there is potential for most cost savings. Iron ore, copper and coking coal output exceeded analysts’ forecasts for the quarter.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, MORGANS FINANCIAL LIMITED

Seven to follow viewers into the digital future with streaming

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Original article by Max Mason, Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 22-Oct-15

Seven West Media has revealed its program line-up for 2016 at its annual "upfronts" event. Meanwhile, the media group will begin live streaming of its TV channels online from 3 November 2015, which will be supported by targeted pre-roll video advertisements. Seven West Media will also launch a programmatic advertising service called 7 Screen, as well as an online shopping service that will allow viewers to purchase grocery products that are featured on its TV shows.

CORPORATES
SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, PACIFIC MAGAZINES PTY LTD, YAHOO!7 COMMUNICATIONS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, OZTAM PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED

Origin Energy to ditch coal assets as it cuts carbon burden

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Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 21-Oct-15

Australian-listed Origin Energy has become the first energy group in the world to commit to all seven principles of the Carbon Disclosure Project. Origin will tell shareholders at its 2015 AGM that it will close down its Eraring coal-fired power station within two decades, with the aim of eventually generating all of its electricity via renewable sources. MD Grant King notes that energy companies account for 66 per cent of global carbon emissions.

CORPORATES
ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, CARBON DISCLOSURE PROJECT, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL

Packer punts on $10b casino play

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 20-Oct-15

Australian-listed Crown Resorts plans to build a 90-storey hotel and apartment tower in Melbourne in partnership with the Schiavello Group. The new hotel is slated for completion in 2019 and is expected to feature a new brand that could be used for other hotels that are in Crown’s extensive development pipeline. Crown hopes the new hotel will attract more high-rollers and tourists, and will be pitched at the upper end of the market.

CORPORATES
CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, SCHIAVELLO GROUP PTY LTD, ECHO ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LIMITED – ASX EGP, MELCO CROWN ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED, WILKINSON EYRE ARCHITECTS

Optus repeats Netflix offer

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Original article by David Ramli
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 15-Oct-15

US-based subscription video-on-demand provider Netflix has renewed its alliance with Singtel-Optus. The Australian telco will bundle a six-month Netflix subscription with some of its broadband packages from November 2015 until the end of January 2016. Optus is also expected to offer a Netflix subscription to new mobile customers. Vicki Brady of Optus notes that broadband traffic on its fixed-line network has risen by 50 per cent since April.

CORPORATES
NETFLIX INCORPORATED, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, IINET LIMITED, M2 GROUP LIMITED – ASX MTU, VOCUS COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED – ASX VOC, VODAFONE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, SINGAPORE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIMITED

Westpac to stick with dividend lift

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 & 30 : 15-Oct-15

Westpac’s unaudited preliminary financial accounts for 2014-15 show that it has posted a full-year cash profit of $A7.82bn, which is three per cent higher than previously. Investors will receive a fully franked final dividend of $A0.94 per share, compared with $A0.92 in 2013-14, while Westpac also intends to pay a higher dividend in 2015-16. Westpac shares have been placed in a trading halt until 19 October 2015 due to the group’s $A3.5bn capital raising.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY

Domino’s still hungry after gobbling rival

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 15-Oct-15

Australian-listed Domino’s Pizza Enterprises will have 330 outlets in France following the Stg35m ($A55m) acquisition of Pizza Sprint. CEO Don Meij says the group is keen to pursue further international acquisitions, as part of an aggressive expansion strategy that aims to double its store numbers worldwide over the next decade. Shares in Domino’s closed 5.4 per cent higher at $A41.95 on 14 October 2015.

CORPORATES
DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, PIZZA SPRINT, FOOD COURT FINANCE SRL, DOMINO’S PIZZA JAPAN INCORPORATED, PLATYPUS ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, BAILLIEU HOLST LIMITED, BAIN CAPITAL LLC

Santos slashes 200 jobs to rein in costs

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 13-Oct-15

Listed oil and gas producer Santos has announced further job cuts, after it revealed plans to retrench 565 employees in August 2015. Santos intends to shed an additional 200 employees, with the bulk of the job cuts to be at its head office in Adelaide. The job losses are part of a cost-reduction strategy, with Santos aiming to achieve cost savings totalling $A180m by the end of 2015. Santos shares closed $A0.04 lower at $A5.93 on 12 October.

CORPORATES
SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, CNOOC LIMITED, PETROCHINA COMPANY LIMITED, SINOPEC CORPORATION, BERNSTEIN INVESTMENT RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT

Cutting costs will ‘only go so far’

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 12-Oct-15

Southern Cross Media CEO Grant Blackley says it is important for media companies to invest in on-air talent, as well as marketing and promotion. He has defended the group’s move to recruit Rove McManus to host 2Day FM’s breakfast program, arguing that increased ratings result in higher advertising revenue. Blackley adds that cost cuts are only a short-term solution for media companies.

CORPORATES
SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, 2DAY FM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

800 Aurizon jobs go amid cost-cutting

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Original article by Jenny Wiggins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 8-Oct-15

Australian-listed rail freight operator Aurizon Holdings aims to reduce its costs by up to $A380m over the next three years. The group has also flagged the retrenchment of an additional 800 full-time employees in its operations division, which follows the loss of 3,000 jobs over the last five years. Meanwhile, CEO Lance Hockridge says Aurizon may consider acquisitions if the West Pilbara Iron Ore Project is shelved.

CORPORATES
AURIZON HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX AZJ, ASCIANO LIMITED – ASX AIO, PACIFIC NATIONAL PTY LTD, BROOKFIELD INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS LP, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, WIGGINS ISLAND COAL EXPORT TERMINAL PTY LTD