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Business Description: Westpac Banking Corporation (WBC) is Australia's oldest banking and financial services group, with a significant banking franchise in Australia and NZ in retail, corporate and institutional sectors. Westpac has branches throughout Australia, New Zealand and the near Pacific region and maintains offices in key financial centres around the world including London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Strategy Analysis: Group strategy is anchored in the commitment to conservatively manage risk across all areas of business, following the near-death experience in the early 1990s. WBC’s customer-focused strategy aims to capture an increasing share of business from its Australian and New Zealand banking and wealth management customer base leveraging multi-brands. WBC established itself as an integrated financial services group in the early 2000s with the successful expansion into wealth management, acquiring Rothschild, BT Financial Services and Hastings. WBC diversified domestically by acquiring St George Bank in 2008, activating its regional banking strategy and providing access to a broader customer base and more exciting growth options. WBC’s strong operational discipline, quality assets and diversified funding base provide a good platform to leverage market share gains achieved in the midst of a global financial crisis. Credit market uncertainty stifled competition from smaller banks, foreign banks and non-bank lenders, allowing WBC to press its scale advantage over weaker competitors and capture market share. The acquisition of St George Bank increased scale and the re-launch of the Bank of Melbourne brand in July 2011 further strengthened the multi-brand approach.
Westpac Banking Corporation reported NPAT down 15% to $5.97bn for the year ended 30 September 2012. Statutory net profit was lower over the year principally as a result of a large one-off tax benefit from St.George tax consolidation. Revenues from ordinary activities were $17.98bn, up 6% from last year. Diluted EPS was 190.5 cents compared to 223.6 cents last year. The net operating cash inflow was $18.48bn compared to an outflow of $12.01bn in the pcp. The final dividend declared was 84 cents, taking the full year dividend to 166 cents compared with 156 cents last year. Looking ahead, the Company expects continued modest credit growth and strong saving levels. The Company reported volatility in global markets is likely to continue and as a result of the structural changes that are now occurring, both overseas and domestically, the operating environment will remain challenging.
The Age 21/05/2013 |
Optus says its 4G mobile network will reach 70 per cent of the Australian population by mid-2014. The carrier revealed it has upgraded 4000 3G sites to 4G in five capital cities and in Coffs Harbour, the Gold Coast and Byron Bay. It also plans to make its 4G network suitable for customers with dual-band 4G mobile devices.
The Age 21/05/2013 |
Hong Kong private equity firm Quantum Pacific Capital says it is best placed to resolve a dispute over the ownership of a troubled $5 billion copper and gold project in Java and is negotiating to grab back as much as 80 per cent of the project on behalf of former owner Intrepid Mines.
The Age 21/05/2013 |
Shareholders in Transfield Services were bracing themselves on Monday for an earnings downgrade following downgrades by other mine services operators such as UGL, WorleyParsons and the smaller Coffey International last week.
The Age 21/05/2013 |
The whole retail recovery story has wandered perilously off script over the past quarter. The start of the year held the promise of green shoots at the discretionary spending end. But as we near the close of the financial year, the fragile recovery appears to have been nipped in the bud.
The Age 21/05/2013 |
New Leighton Holdings chairman Bob Humphris has moved to dispel fears that its directors remain at war with its German parent Hochtief, insisting the relationship was "collegiate" despite the abrupt resignation of three fellow directors two months ago.
The Age 21/05/2013 |
Australian shares flirted with five-year highs on Monday, returning to levels not seen since the onset of the global financial crisis, as investors were spurred on by signs of strength in the US economy.
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