Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange on Thursday, Feb 19:
AAD – ARDENT LEISURE – down 44 cents, or 15.9 per cent, at $2.33
Ardent Leisure shares have tumbled more than 10 per cent after the theme parks and gym operator posted a disappointing first half profit.
ARI – ARRIUM – steady at 22 cents
Iron ore miner and steel company Arrium has slammed the federal government for failing to crack down on the dumping of cheap foreign steel imports.
BGA – BEGA CHEESE – down 18 cents, or 3.4 per cent, at $5.05
Bega Cheese boss Barry Irvin says global dairy prices are finally recovering after a bruising 50 per slide that soured the company half year profit.
CRZ – CARSALES.COM – down nine cents, or 0.9 per cent, at $10.23
Carsales.com shares have fallen almost seven per cent after the online car seller lifted its half year profit by seven per cent.
GMA – GENWORTH MORTGAGE INSURANCE AUSTRALIA – down 73.5 cents, or 18.1 per cent, at $3.32
Shares in lenders mortgage insurance business Genworth have slumped more than 18 per cent after the company lost one of its major customers, Westpac.
IAG – INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP – down 54 cents, or 8.45 per cent, at $5.85
Insurance premiums are likely to hold steady in 2015 thanks to tough competition and soft inflation, one of the country’s largest insurers says.
PRY – PRIMARY HEALTHCARE – down 23 cents, or 4.7 per cent, at $4.68
One of Australia’s largest medical centre operators is urging the health minister to dump the controversial medicare co-payment and resist the temptation to replace it with another fee for GP visits.
SWM – SEVEN WEST MEDIA – steady at $1.42
Kerry Stokes’ Seven West Media has suffered a near $1 billion half year loss after being forced to writedown the value of its TV and newspaper businesses.
TOL – TOLL HOLDINGS – up $2.87, or 47.2 per cent, at $8.95
Shareholders in Toll Holdings are set for a windfall after Japan Post made a $6.5 billion takeover for the Australian transport and logistics firm.
TRS – THE REJECT SHOP – up 80 cents, or 14.8 per cent, at $6.20
Shares in The Reject Shop have jumped by more than nine per cent on signs its sales are picking up.
WPL – WOODSIDE PETROLEUM – up $1.54, or 4.4 per cent, at $36.45
Woodside Petroleum plans to cut more than 300 jobs this year as it slashes expenditure following a sharp fall in the oil price.
