STRATEGIC PLANNING – AUSTRALIA

Maccas plans $1bn ‘gourmet’ makeover

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 19 : 3-Oct-14

Andrew Gregory, new CEO of McDonald’s Australia, says the fast food restaurants chain will invest $A1bn-plus by 2019 in an expansion strategy. The business has annual turnover of over $A4bn and 930 sites, set to increase to in excess of 1,000. In early October 2014 it is launching a new promotion during which customers can design their own hamburgers from 19 ingredients, using touch screens. Another new initiative, also being adopted by rivals, is home delivery

CORPORATES
McDONALD’S AUSTRALIA LIMITED, QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANTS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, SUBWAY SANDWICHES PTY LTD, SUBWAY SYSTEMS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SALSA’S FRESH MEX GRILL, SALSAS PTY LTD, RETAIL ZOO PTY LTD, GUZMAN Y GOMEZ PTY LTD, OPORTO PTY LTD, RED ROOSTER FOODS

When it comes to the crunch, Freedom Foods plans to evolve

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jared Lynch
The Age – Page: 25 : 15-Sep-14

Australian-listed Freedom Foods is facing growing competition in the market for allergen-free food products. Freedom’s food technologist David Kokke says the group intends to keep improving the taste and nutritional value of its product range, and stresses the importance of innovation and brand reinvention. The company’s shares have risen by 300 per cent in the last two years

CORPORATES
FREEDOM FOODS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FNP, NESTLE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SANITARIUM HEALTH FOOD COMPANY, BRIGHT FOOD GROUP COMPANY LIMITED, PACTUM DAIRY GROUP PTY LTD, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Hedge funds chase self-managed super billions

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jonathan Shapiro, Gretchen Friemann
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 12 : 10-Sep-14

There is growing interest in listed investment companies (LICs) in Australia, and hedge funds believe that these investment vehicles may allow them to attract capital from self-managed superannuation funds. Ellerston Capital and Global Wealth Partners are among the hedge funds that have launched investment vehicles that are modelled on LICs. It is estimated that SMSFs now hold some $A550bn

CORPORATES
ELLERSTON CAPITAL PTY LTD, GLOBAL WEALTH PARTNERS FUND LIMITED – ASX GWP, WHITEHAVEN FUNDS, ZG ADVISORS PTY LTD, BLUE SKY CAPITAL INVESTMENTS LIMITED, PERSHING SQUARE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP, RF CAPITAL PTY LTD

Dymocks targets the right sort of lovers

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 10-Sep-14

IBISWorld forecasts that sales of books and print newspapers will decline by 3.8 per cent annually over the next five years due to the growth of digital alternatives. Dymocks is defying this trend, recording same-store sales growth of eight per cent in 2013-14, and by almost 10 per cent overall. MD Steve Cox notes that the retailer’s use of data analytics to more accurately target members of its customer loyalty program has boosted sales

CORPORATES
DYMOCKS BOOKSELLERS PTY LTD, IBISWORLD PTY LTD, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, THE BOOK DEPOSITORY LIMITED, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, DAVID JONES LIMITED

Foxtel reprices for growth effort

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Dominic White, Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 5-Sep-14

Pay-TV operator Foxtel will reduce the cost of its basic package by 50 per cent as part of a strategy to increase its subscriber base. Foxtel’s market penetration is currently around 30 per cent, but CEO Richard Freudenstein is confident of achieving strong growth by revising its prices. Foxtel will also launch a new channel which will offer on-demand viewing of entire seasons of popular TV shows

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, BRITISH SKY BROADCASTING LIMITED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, STREAMCO, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED

Qantas set to beat Virgin in race to get back in the black

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 2-Sep-14

Qantas and Virgin Australia both posted losses for the 2013-14 financial year, and cost-reduction measures will be a key strategy in their return to profitability. Analysts forecast that Qantas will book a profit of about $A66m for 2014-15, while Virgin is not tipped to be in the black until 2015-16. Meanwhile, Virgin will gain $A336m from the sale of a 35 per cent stake in its frequent flyer program to Affinity Equity Partners

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, VELOCITY FREQUENT FLYER PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, AFFINITY EQUITY PARTNERS (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, AIR NEW ZEALAND LIMITED – ASX AIZ, SINGAPORE AIRLINES LIMITED, ETIHAD AIRWAYS, VIRGIN GROUP LIMITED, TIGER AIRWAYS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Perpetual returns to global equities

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ruth Liew
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 29-Aug-14

Listed fund manager Perpetual has reported a 2013-14 net profit of $A81.6m, which is 34 per cent higher than previously. Funds under management increased by 18 per cent to $A29.8bn. Perpetual will make a new push into international shares following the appointment of Garry Laurence to head its Global Share Fund. Perpetual shareholders will receive a final dividend of $A0.95 per share

CORPORATES
PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT, PERPETUAL’S GLOBAL SHARE FUND, THE TRUST COMPANY LIMITED, PM CAPITAL LIMITED, WELLINGTON MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLP, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, PLATINUM ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED – ASX PTM, MAGELLAN ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TYNDALL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED

Monash eyes small clinics and Asian leap

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 29-Aug-14

Australian-listed Monash IVF has reported a 2013-14 net profit of $A2.6m, compared with a $A14.6m loss in 2012-13. The group’s revenue of $A114m was 18 per cent higher than previously, and earnings were bolstered by acquisitions and demand for IVF-related services. CEO James Thiedeman has indicated that the group plans to expand in Asia

CORPORATES
MONASH IVF GROUP LIMITED – ASX MVF, VIRTUS HEALTH LIMITED – ASX VRT, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX PRY, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG

Treasury in hunt for US assets

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 25-Aug-14

Treasury Wine Estates has reduced costs by $A35m since Michael Clarke became CEO earlier in 2014. Clarke says the group’s major shareholders are very supportive of plans to pursue growth via "bolt-on" acquisitions in the US. He adds that both of Treasury’s private equity suitors have also supported his growth strategy. Treasury’s 2013-14 net loss of $A100.9m was primarily due to some $A281m worth of write-downs

CORPORATES
TREASURY WINE ESTATES LIMITED – ASX TWE, KKR AND COMPANY LP, KOHLBERG KRAVIS ROBERTS AND COMPANY, TPG CAPITAL LP, FOSTER’S GROUP LIMITED, BERINGER WINE ESTATES HOLDINGS INCORPORATED, LUCOZADE

Woodside on M&A chase

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 21-Aug-14

Woodside Petroleum has posted a 2014 interim underlying net profit of $US1.136bn, which is 33 per cent higher than previously. Revenue was 24 per cent higher at $US3.55bn. CEO Peter Coleman says the group plans to spend up to $A5bn on large acquisitions, which could potentially include Apache’s 13 per cent stake in the Wheatstone LNG project. Andrew Williams of RBC Capital Markets believes that Woodside may also consider Apache’s Kitimat LNG project in Canada

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL,APACHE ENERGY LIMITED,RBC CAPITAL MARKETS,BERNSTEIN RESEARCH,CHEVRON CORPORATION