Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange early on Thursday:
AIO – ASCIANO LTD – up 15 cents at $4.78
Ports and rail operator Asciano says it expects higher earnings in the second half of this financial year after lifting profits in all of its divisions.
CCL – COCA-COLA AMATIL LTD – down five cents at $12.06
Beverages supplier Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) says further boosting of its investments in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea will be a high priority in 2012.
CSL – CSL LTD – up 77 cents at $31.72
Blood products and vaccines maker CSL has upgraded its full year profit growth forecast to 13 per cent despite a fall in first half earnings.
CVU – CLEARVIEW WEALTH LTD – down 0.3 cents at 14.5 cents
Financial adviser Clearview Wealth’s underlying first half profit fell by 12 per cent due to weak investment markets and the cost of launching new products.
MOC – MORTGAGE CHOICE LTD – up 5.5 cents at $1.33
Independent mortgage broker Mortgage Choice’s first half profit fell by 26 per cent to $6.5 million due to lower than expected revenue from its comparison website and higher costs.
QAN – QANTAS AIRWAYS LTD – down 1.5 cents at $1.665
Qantas Airways’ low-cost offshoot Jetstar Pacific will be majority owned by Vietnam Airways under an ownership change confirmed in Hanoi late on Tuesday.
RIC – RIDLEY CORPORATION LTD – up 2.5 cents at $1.04
Heavy rainfall has hit the profits of Australia’s largest producer of animal feed and naturally evaporated salt
SEK – SEEK LTD – up 61 cents at $6.31
Online jobs website firm SEEK has posted a record first half profit of $60.6 million, thanks to growth in Australian employment and its Chinese and education businesses.
SUL – SUPER RETAIL GROUP LTD – up 39 cents at $6.31
Super Retail Group has shrugged off gloomy retail trading conditions to post a 40 per cent leap in first half profit.
SUN – SUNCORP GROUP LTD – down 18 cents at $8.25
Suncorp Group has increased its interim dividend after overcoming weak economic conditions to post a 74 per cent increase in first half profit.
SWM – SEVEN WEST MEDIA LTD – up 26 cents at $3.79
Seven West Media says its media businesses have continued to gain advertising market share in a difficult economic environment and are well-placed for the next 12 months.
TSE – TRANSFIELD SERVICES LTD – down two cents at $2.40
Tranfield Services has more than doubled its first half profit and says it expects its full year profit will be between $130 million and $135 million.
WPL – WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LTD – up 91 cents at $36.86
Woodside Petroleum’s full year profit fell by 4.3 per cent due to the cost of delays to its Pluto liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.
WTF – WOTIF.COM HOLDINGS LTD – up 34 cents at $4.45
Online travel bookings company Wotif.com Holdings has posted a record first half profit as it successfully expands into flight bookings as well as accommodation.
