AWE Limited (AWE):
Oil and gas play AWE is expected to inform Mineral Resources this morning that it wishes to terminate the takeover agreement between the two, triggering a three-day period for MinRes to match the rival $602 million bid from Japan’s Mitsui or walk away. Barring any surprise developments overnight, the AWE board looks to have little choice but to endorse the Mitsui bid and formally give MinRes its notice. Mitsui emerged as a surprise third suitor for AWE on Monday, launching a 95c-a-share all-cash offer. Mitsui’s offer comfortably eclipsed the 83c-a-share cash-and-scrip offer launched by MinRes late last year, which itself trumped a 73c bid from China Energy Reserve and Chemicals Group that first put AWE in play.
Beach Energy Limited (BPT):
Beach Energy has nudged up its annual production target and reduced its spending plans as it gets set to finalise a deal to buy a basket of oil-and-gas assets that will expand its position in key fields in Australia. Beach said it now expects production of between 25.5 million and 27.6 million barrels of oil equivalent in the year through June, including the assets being acquired, from an earlier forecast of 24.9 million-27.2 million. The target includes increased output from Beach’s existing operations, with production now expected to be between 10.6 million and 11.0 million barrels from those assets from 10.0 million-10.6 million previously.
Blackstone Minerals Limited (BSX):
Global media company Thomson Reuters is in talks with a US private equity firm over a proposed $US17 billion ($21bn) takeover. The Canada-based news and data publishing giant yesterday confirmed to Bloomberg that it was in advanced discussions with Blackstone, which is seeking a majority stake in Thomson Reuters’ financial and risk business. The F&R unit, which distributes news, data and analytics to banks and fund managers, accounted for more than half Thomson Reuters’ annual revenue in 2016, the company said. Blackstone is seeking to buy a stake of about 55 per cent in the unit, which services financial markets professionals worldwide and has annual sales of $US6.1bn, as revealed by Reuters yesterday.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA):
Commonwealth Bank faces a fresh crisis just a day after naming a new chief executive, with the corporate watchdog launching an explosive Federal Court suit against the bank over claims it rigged a key interest rate benchmark. In a new test for incoming chief executive Matt Comyn, who promised to overhaul CBA’s culture following a string of high-profile scandals, the bank said it “disputes the allegations” brought against it by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, suggesting the lender plans to fight the claim in court. The legal action blindsided the nation’s largest bank, the day after it surprised analysts and investors by naming the “insider” Mr Comyn as its incoming boss. Despite a global search, CBA chairman Catherine Livingstone said the current head of the bank’s retail division was the best candidate to drive cultural change at the scandal-plagued bank. Outgoing boss Ian Narev brought forward his retirement after anti-money-laundering regulator Austrac alleged the bank had breached the law more than 50,000 times.
Dexus (DXS):
RMIT University has struck a deal with property management company Dexus to move its administration functions into a building at the northern end of the Melbourne CBD. RMIT will move into 222 Lonsdale Street, taking space currently occupied by Sensis on a lease that expires in July 2019. Dexus will refurbish the amenities and fitout as part of the deal, and will undertake base building and lobby improvements and add new end-oftrip facilities. RMIT will move in from March 2020 and will take 10,634 square metres across levels five, six and seven for a 15-year term. The building is near the RMIT campus and close to train and tram links and the Metro Rail project, which is under construction. Amenities include childcare, a gym, a medical centre and the retailers at QV. “We are pleased to expand our customer relationship with RMIT, and satisfy the needs of a leader in the education sector by delivering a new head office location for their administrative operations,” Dexus head of office portfolio Ellie Schwab said. “Demand from the education sector is strong as Melbourne’s status as the most liveable city in Australia and relative affordability compared to Sydney continues to attract local and international students.” RMIT executive director of property services Chris Hewison said the lease would allow the university to bring key operations staff into one location.
Macquarie Group Limited (MQG):
The prospect of a Quadrant Energy deal occurring in the next few months is starting to appear slim as Macquarie and Brookfield are seemingly at odds over its future. Progress on a deal, whether it be a float or a trade sale, has ground to a halt and the situation is not expected to change in the near future. Sources say Macquarie is keen to retain the asset and it is Brookfield that’s pushing for a transaction to come about. The float was billed early last year as one of the potential standout deals of 2017, but action failed to eventuate. Goldman Sachs has been working alongside Macquarie Capital since May. Quadrant is regarded as one of Australia’s largest oil and gas companies. It was formed in 2015 following the acquisition of Apache’s West Australian oil and gas assets for $US2.1bn by Macquarie and Brookfield. DataRoom reported in September last year that April was a potential listing date and at a $4 billion valuation, the transaction would be among the largest for 2018. A non-deal roadshow was held with the company and Goldman Sachs bankers last year to gauge the appetite for a float. A number of major players are believed to have looked at Quadrant as an asset sale.
Oil Search Limited (OSH):
Oil Search fell as much as 3.8 per cent to a five-week low of $7.42 in early trade, after steep falls in offshore peers following WTI crude’s 1.6 per cent drop overnight. Oil Search shares have fallen almost 9 per cent since they peaked at a two-year high of $8.13 amid booming oil prices earlier this month. With a forward PE of almost 30 times, according to Bloomberg, it’s no wonder Oil Search shares finally came unstuck. On the charts it will look vulnerable to a further slide to $7.00 unless it can close above the $7.58 pivot level today.
Origin Energy Limited (ORG) & Liquefied Natural Gas Limited(LNG):
Origin Energy’s has boosted half-year oil and gas production by 12 per cent, while revenue rose 40 per cent in the period. Production for the six months to December 31 rose to 172.6 petajoules, helped by a 15 per cent increase in production from Australia Pacific Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), while sales revenue rose to $1.4 billion, from $973.9 million in the prior corresponding period. December quarter production was down 6 per cent on the September quarter to 83.5 petajoules, while oil and gas sales revenue for the quarter grew one per cent from the previous three months, to $686.3 million.
Origin energy limited (ORG)
The prospect of a Quadrant Energy deal occurring in the next few months is starting to appear slim as Macquarie and Brookfield are seemingly at odds over its future. Progress on a deal, whether it be a float or a trade sale, has ground to a halt and the situation is not expected to change in the near future. Sources say Macquarie is keen to retain the asset and it is Brookfield that’s pushing for a transaction to come about. The float was billed early last year as one of the potential standout deals of 2017, but action failed to eventuate. Goldman Sachs has been working alongside Macquarie Capital since May. Quadrant is regarded as one of Australia’s largest oil and gas companies. It was formed in 2015 following the acquisition of Apache’s West Australian oil and gas assets for $US2.1bn by Macquarie and Brookfield. DataRoom reported in September last year that April was a potential listing date and at a $4 billion.
Insurance Group Limited (QBE):
Investment bank Morgan Stanley is believed to have won a role advising QBE on the potential sale of its Latin American operations out of the US. Goldman Sachs is QBE’s longstanding house adviser and is also said to be involved in some manner. QBE offloaded its Thai operations around Christmas to King Wai Group and while it was “looking at all options” for its emerging markets operation, most observers are betting that they will be offloaded by the insurer. Last month, incoming boss Pat Regan warned the market of an upcoming $1.2 billion annual loss. A small claims blowout in Latin America and Asia caused an earnings downgrade in June. QBE has always been considered a highly complex business. It operates in 38 countries and while it has been touted as a takeover target in the past, some believe it would be too complicated for most suitors to handle. In the past, some had believed the company would be a logical acquisition target for Berkshire Hathaway, which is a shareholder in QBE’s rival, IAG.
Sirtex Medical Limited (SRX):
Sirtex shares are up 46.2 per cent at $27.53 as trading resumed after a one-day suspension. The board of biotechnology group Sirtex Medical announced after the close on Tuesday that it has agreed to a $1.6 billion takeover offer from United States giant Varian Medical Systems. The board also revealed it had received a number of takeover offers in late 2017. The all-cash offer is priced at $28 a share, a 49 per cent premium to the $18.83 price that Sirtex shares last traded at before they were suspended on Tuesday morning. Varian is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and has a market value of $US11.8 billion ($14.6 billion). It is the biggest takeover so far in 2018. Sirtex, which is best known for its technology to fight last-stage colorectal liver cancer, said late on Tuesday that it had provided a number of parties with due diligence information and access to senior executives in recent months. But it decided that Varian's offer, which will be completed via a scheme of arrangement, was the best deal.
Specialty Fashion Group Limited (SFH):
Specialty fashion confirms it’s in takeover talks with a group including CEO Gary Perlstein, who is on leave and will step down on Feb 15. It also says it has had a number of non-binding indicative proposals to buy the group or certain brands within the group. An independent review committee has been established to assess the proposals received. “Discussions concerning the matter are ongoing and are not regarded as sufficiently advanced to warrant any further disclosure at this time,” the group says.
Treasury Wine Estates Limited (TWE):
Market darling Treasury Wine Estates has once again easily beaten profit forecasts, posting a 25 per cent increase in earnings powered by strong growth in Asian sales. Treasury, the owner of big wine brands including Penfolds, Wolf Blass and Wynns, posted a 25 per cent increase in earnings before interest tax and self-generating and regenerating assets (its preferred profit measure) to $283.3 million, well ahead of analyst forecasts of EBITS of $265 million. Earnings in the booming Asian region jumped 48 per cent, with margins also growing. But the company has stuck with consensus earnings for the full year of $524 million, warning that earnings would be weighted to the first half due to a weighting towards big sales events in that period, such as Christmas and Singles Day in China. Chief executive Mike Clarke said it was pleasing to see growth from all of Treasury's geographic regions. "Fixed regions of Asia, Europe and ANZ, are outperforming expectations, and we are now taking some exciting steps to really transform our route-to-market in the United States, and further strengthen the long-term outlook for the Americas region," he said.
(Source: AIMS)
Oil and gas play AWE is expected to inform Mineral Resources this morning that it wishes to terminate the takeover agreement between the two, triggering a three-day period for MinRes to match the rival $602 million bid from Japan’s Mitsui or walk away. Barring any surprise developments overnight, the AWE board looks to have little choice but to endorse the Mitsui bid and formally give MinRes its notice. Mitsui emerged as a surprise third suitor for AWE on Monday, launching a 95c-a-share all-cash offer. Mitsui’s offer comfortably eclipsed the 83c-a-share cash-and-scrip offer launched by MinRes late last year, which itself trumped a 73c bid from China Energy Reserve and Chemicals Group that first put AWE in play.
Beach Energy Limited (BPT):
Beach Energy has nudged up its annual production target and reduced its spending plans as it gets set to finalise a deal to buy a basket of oil-and-gas assets that will expand its position in key fields in Australia. Beach said it now expects production of between 25.5 million and 27.6 million barrels of oil equivalent in the year through June, including the assets being acquired, from an earlier forecast of 24.9 million-27.2 million. The target includes increased output from Beach’s existing operations, with production now expected to be between 10.6 million and 11.0 million barrels from those assets from 10.0 million-10.6 million previously.
Blackstone Minerals Limited (BSX):
Global media company Thomson Reuters is in talks with a US private equity firm over a proposed $US17 billion ($21bn) takeover. The Canada-based news and data publishing giant yesterday confirmed to Bloomberg that it was in advanced discussions with Blackstone, which is seeking a majority stake in Thomson Reuters’ financial and risk business. The F&R unit, which distributes news, data and analytics to banks and fund managers, accounted for more than half Thomson Reuters’ annual revenue in 2016, the company said. Blackstone is seeking to buy a stake of about 55 per cent in the unit, which services financial markets professionals worldwide and has annual sales of $US6.1bn, as revealed by Reuters yesterday.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA):
Commonwealth Bank faces a fresh crisis just a day after naming a new chief executive, with the corporate watchdog launching an explosive Federal Court suit against the bank over claims it rigged a key interest rate benchmark. In a new test for incoming chief executive Matt Comyn, who promised to overhaul CBA’s culture following a string of high-profile scandals, the bank said it “disputes the allegations” brought against it by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, suggesting the lender plans to fight the claim in court. The legal action blindsided the nation’s largest bank, the day after it surprised analysts and investors by naming the “insider” Mr Comyn as its incoming boss. Despite a global search, CBA chairman Catherine Livingstone said the current head of the bank’s retail division was the best candidate to drive cultural change at the scandal-plagued bank. Outgoing boss Ian Narev brought forward his retirement after anti-money-laundering regulator Austrac alleged the bank had breached the law more than 50,000 times.
Dexus (DXS):
RMIT University has struck a deal with property management company Dexus to move its administration functions into a building at the northern end of the Melbourne CBD. RMIT will move into 222 Lonsdale Street, taking space currently occupied by Sensis on a lease that expires in July 2019. Dexus will refurbish the amenities and fitout as part of the deal, and will undertake base building and lobby improvements and add new end-oftrip facilities. RMIT will move in from March 2020 and will take 10,634 square metres across levels five, six and seven for a 15-year term. The building is near the RMIT campus and close to train and tram links and the Metro Rail project, which is under construction. Amenities include childcare, a gym, a medical centre and the retailers at QV. “We are pleased to expand our customer relationship with RMIT, and satisfy the needs of a leader in the education sector by delivering a new head office location for their administrative operations,” Dexus head of office portfolio Ellie Schwab said. “Demand from the education sector is strong as Melbourne’s status as the most liveable city in Australia and relative affordability compared to Sydney continues to attract local and international students.” RMIT executive director of property services Chris Hewison said the lease would allow the university to bring key operations staff into one location.
Macquarie Group Limited (MQG):
The prospect of a Quadrant Energy deal occurring in the next few months is starting to appear slim as Macquarie and Brookfield are seemingly at odds over its future. Progress on a deal, whether it be a float or a trade sale, has ground to a halt and the situation is not expected to change in the near future. Sources say Macquarie is keen to retain the asset and it is Brookfield that’s pushing for a transaction to come about. The float was billed early last year as one of the potential standout deals of 2017, but action failed to eventuate. Goldman Sachs has been working alongside Macquarie Capital since May. Quadrant is regarded as one of Australia’s largest oil and gas companies. It was formed in 2015 following the acquisition of Apache’s West Australian oil and gas assets for $US2.1bn by Macquarie and Brookfield. DataRoom reported in September last year that April was a potential listing date and at a $4 billion valuation, the transaction would be among the largest for 2018. A non-deal roadshow was held with the company and Goldman Sachs bankers last year to gauge the appetite for a float. A number of major players are believed to have looked at Quadrant as an asset sale.
Oil Search Limited (OSH):
Oil Search fell as much as 3.8 per cent to a five-week low of $7.42 in early trade, after steep falls in offshore peers following WTI crude’s 1.6 per cent drop overnight. Oil Search shares have fallen almost 9 per cent since they peaked at a two-year high of $8.13 amid booming oil prices earlier this month. With a forward PE of almost 30 times, according to Bloomberg, it’s no wonder Oil Search shares finally came unstuck. On the charts it will look vulnerable to a further slide to $7.00 unless it can close above the $7.58 pivot level today.
Origin Energy Limited (ORG) & Liquefied Natural Gas Limited(LNG):
Origin Energy’s has boosted half-year oil and gas production by 12 per cent, while revenue rose 40 per cent in the period. Production for the six months to December 31 rose to 172.6 petajoules, helped by a 15 per cent increase in production from Australia Pacific Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), while sales revenue rose to $1.4 billion, from $973.9 million in the prior corresponding period. December quarter production was down 6 per cent on the September quarter to 83.5 petajoules, while oil and gas sales revenue for the quarter grew one per cent from the previous three months, to $686.3 million.
Origin energy limited (ORG)
The prospect of a Quadrant Energy deal occurring in the next few months is starting to appear slim as Macquarie and Brookfield are seemingly at odds over its future. Progress on a deal, whether it be a float or a trade sale, has ground to a halt and the situation is not expected to change in the near future. Sources say Macquarie is keen to retain the asset and it is Brookfield that’s pushing for a transaction to come about. The float was billed early last year as one of the potential standout deals of 2017, but action failed to eventuate. Goldman Sachs has been working alongside Macquarie Capital since May. Quadrant is regarded as one of Australia’s largest oil and gas companies. It was formed in 2015 following the acquisition of Apache’s West Australian oil and gas assets for $US2.1bn by Macquarie and Brookfield. DataRoom reported in September last year that April was a potential listing date and at a $4 billion.
Insurance Group Limited (QBE):
Investment bank Morgan Stanley is believed to have won a role advising QBE on the potential sale of its Latin American operations out of the US. Goldman Sachs is QBE’s longstanding house adviser and is also said to be involved in some manner. QBE offloaded its Thai operations around Christmas to King Wai Group and while it was “looking at all options” for its emerging markets operation, most observers are betting that they will be offloaded by the insurer. Last month, incoming boss Pat Regan warned the market of an upcoming $1.2 billion annual loss. A small claims blowout in Latin America and Asia caused an earnings downgrade in June. QBE has always been considered a highly complex business. It operates in 38 countries and while it has been touted as a takeover target in the past, some believe it would be too complicated for most suitors to handle. In the past, some had believed the company would be a logical acquisition target for Berkshire Hathaway, which is a shareholder in QBE’s rival, IAG.
Sirtex Medical Limited (SRX):
Sirtex shares are up 46.2 per cent at $27.53 as trading resumed after a one-day suspension. The board of biotechnology group Sirtex Medical announced after the close on Tuesday that it has agreed to a $1.6 billion takeover offer from United States giant Varian Medical Systems. The board also revealed it had received a number of takeover offers in late 2017. The all-cash offer is priced at $28 a share, a 49 per cent premium to the $18.83 price that Sirtex shares last traded at before they were suspended on Tuesday morning. Varian is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and has a market value of $US11.8 billion ($14.6 billion). It is the biggest takeover so far in 2018. Sirtex, which is best known for its technology to fight last-stage colorectal liver cancer, said late on Tuesday that it had provided a number of parties with due diligence information and access to senior executives in recent months. But it decided that Varian's offer, which will be completed via a scheme of arrangement, was the best deal.
Specialty Fashion Group Limited (SFH):
Specialty fashion confirms it’s in takeover talks with a group including CEO Gary Perlstein, who is on leave and will step down on Feb 15. It also says it has had a number of non-binding indicative proposals to buy the group or certain brands within the group. An independent review committee has been established to assess the proposals received. “Discussions concerning the matter are ongoing and are not regarded as sufficiently advanced to warrant any further disclosure at this time,” the group says.
Treasury Wine Estates Limited (TWE):
Market darling Treasury Wine Estates has once again easily beaten profit forecasts, posting a 25 per cent increase in earnings powered by strong growth in Asian sales. Treasury, the owner of big wine brands including Penfolds, Wolf Blass and Wynns, posted a 25 per cent increase in earnings before interest tax and self-generating and regenerating assets (its preferred profit measure) to $283.3 million, well ahead of analyst forecasts of EBITS of $265 million. Earnings in the booming Asian region jumped 48 per cent, with margins also growing. But the company has stuck with consensus earnings for the full year of $524 million, warning that earnings would be weighted to the first half due to a weighting towards big sales events in that period, such as Christmas and Singles Day in China. Chief executive Mike Clarke said it was pleasing to see growth from all of Treasury's geographic regions. "Fixed regions of Asia, Europe and ANZ, are outperforming expectations, and we are now taking some exciting steps to really transform our route-to-market in the United States, and further strengthen the long-term outlook for the Americas region," he said.
(Source: AIMS)
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