Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange on Thursday, August 25
AAX – AUSENCO LTD – up 15 cents at $2.22
Ausenco has reported a first half profit of $7.71 million, as the engineering and mining services provider forecasts that 2011 results will improve significantly from 2010.
AIO – ASCIANO LTD – down 5.5 cents at $1.515
Ports and rail operator Asciano Ltd has returned to a full year profit, boosted by more coal contracts in Queensland and fewer one-off charges.
APA – APA GROUP – down four cents at $4.00
Gas transportation company APA Group has posted an 8.1 per cent increase in full year profit and expects further growth this financial year.
BHP – BHP BILLITON LTD – steady at $38.21
Mining giant BHP Billiton has delivered Australia’s highest ever corporate financial result, beating analyst expectations with a full year net profit of $US23.6 billion ($A22.46 billion).
CQO – CHARTER HALL OFFICE – up 10 cents at $2.81
Charter Hall Office Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) returned to profit in 2010/11, but warned lower global economic growth may slow Australia’s office property recovery.
DOW – DOWNER EDI LTD – down four cents at $3.54
Downer EDI Ltd says it’s unclear whether market volatility will have a negative affect on future projects after the firm posted a $27.8 million full year loss.
GCL – GLOUCESTER COAL LTD – up six cents at $8.97
Gloucester Coal Ltd has increased first half profit by 67 per cent as three recent takeovers give the miner growth opportunities.
HVN – HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LTD – up 5.5 cents at $1.955
Environmentalists have asbeiled off the roof of a Sydney shopping centre and unfurled a massive banner demanding retailer Harvey Norman stop destroying native forests.
LEI – LEIGHTON HOLDINGS LTD – down 69 cents at $21.31
Leighton Holdings chairman David Mortimer has resigned from the board of the company with immediate effect, after 14 years as a director.
MCC – MACARTHUR COAL LTD – up 18 cents at $15.80
Macarthur Coal has nearly doubled its full year profit due to to record high prices, but has warned its production costs will also jump this year.
MOC – MORTGAGE CHOICE LTD – up 6.5 cents at $1.36
First home buyers are dipping their toes back in the market thanks to a correction in house prices, Mortgage Choice says.
MRE – MINARA RESOURCES LTD – up 23.5 cents at 87.5 cents
Minara Resources’ biggest shareholder, Swiss commodities giant Glencore, has launched a takeover bid that values the nickel miner $1.017 billion.
NBL – NONI B LTD – up 4.5 cents at 49.5 cents
Fashion retailer Noni B plans to capitalise on changing shopping trends by launching an online store next month as it awaits to take advantage of returning consumer confidence.
NHR – NATIONAL HIRE GROUP LTD – down two cents at $1.51
National Hire Group Ltd has more than tripled its full year profit and expects further growth in 2011/12.
PBG – PACIFIC BRANDS LTD – up nine cents at 71.5 cents
Pacific Brands Ltd posted a full year loss of $132 million in the year to June 30, with the company flagging the likelihood of lower earnings this financial year..
QAN – QANTAS AIRWAYS LTD – down two cents at $1.52
Qantas Airways says it expects to increase capacity by eight per cent and improve yields during what is tipped to be a challenging and volatile first half of 2011/12.(QANTAS Wrap on file with factbox, pix and graphic)
REX – REGIONAL EXPRESS HOLDINGS LTD – up four cents at 89 cents
Regional Express (Rex) says full year profit has fallen due to high fuel prices, natural disasters and the ending of tax incentives.
SBM – ST BARBARA LTD – down six cents at $1.93
Gold miner St Barbara has returned to profitability, booking a full year net profit of $68.6 million, and flagging a jump in production this financial year.
SKE – SKILLED GROUP LTD – steady at $1.89
Strong demand for recruitment in the mining and resources sectors helped boost revenue for Skilled Group but profit plunged 75 per cent on restructuring and other costs.
SRV – SERVCORP LTD – up 18 cents at $2.94
Serviced office provider Servcorp has increased its full year profit by 24 per cent, even as the company endures continuing volatility in global financial markets.
SUN – SUNCORP GROUP LTD – up 40 cents at $7.59
Suncorp Group says it’s confident that significant insurance premium rises will cover increased costs brought about by the worst year of natural disasters it has experienced.
SWM – SEVEN WEST MEDIA LTD – up 48 cents at $3.12
Shares in Seven West Media Ltd surged nearly 20 per cent after the company said it was on track to refinance debt and strengthen its balance sheet despite a tough advertising market.
SXL – SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LTD – up five cents at $1.20
Southern Cross Media Group Ltd has returned to profitability as it continues to integrate Austereo into its business.
TPI – TRANSPACIFIC INDUSTRIES GROUP LTD – up one cent at 72.5 cents
Transpacific Industries has posted a full year net loss of $296.5 million, promising to make tough decisions to improve performance in current financial year.
VBA – VIRGIN BLUE HOLDINGS LTD – down 0.5 cents at 23.5 cents
The profitability of Virgin Australia long-haul operations and any new details regarding its upmarket repositioning are expected to be the focus of the airline group’s profit results on Thursday
WOR – WORLEYPARSONS LTD – up $2.37 at $26.07
PERTH, Aug 24 AAP – WorleyParsons expects further earnings growth, after a 25 per cent lift in full year profit and solid performances in all geographic segments.
WTF – WOTIF.COM HOLDINGS LTD – down 43 cents at $4.07
The Wotif Group has posted full year net profit of $50.96 million, down 3.8 per cent from the previous year on a fall in domestic travel bookings.
