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3 July 2024
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Underpinning the current wave of consolidation amongst Australian super funds is the belief that it helps to be big. Is this really the case and is there any advantage in being a member of a large super fund?
As market uncertainty continues, it is more important than ever to have a sound investment process. To help with a long-term focus, it may be useful to have some guidelines to fall back on when the market noise gets too loud.
Is bigger better for super funds? APRA certainly thinks so as it pushes for more mergers but what might members be losing from a more personal touch? Veteran journalist Greg Bright explains events at Media Super.
Anyone investing in media must understand the momentous change and disruption underway. During a span of just 21 days, US$85 billion of M&A centred on video games, which is now bigger than the movie industry.
Companies always boast the synergies and growth prospects of acquisitions, but dig a little deeper with these questions and you might see why most of these deals fail to add value when finally bedded down.
Fairfax and Nine together will not magically produce a great company. The business models of newspapers and free-to-air TV are compromised by giants in digital and media industries, and viewing habits have changed.
Well-executed mergers and acquisitions can add material shareholder value, but there are plenty of examples where they destroy value, and in the worst cases, jeopardise the entire company.
Hostile takeover battles can produce heated disputes between company directors, managers and shareholders. What’s in the company’s long term interests and who decides? Does shareholder activism aid or hinder?
When analysing the latest takeover offer, these timeless country music lyrics come to mind. Because each situation is different, you'll need to know whether to accept the offer, hold out for more, or just dump and run.
In 2013, M&A market confidence returned and we are already seeing an increase in deal activity this year. However, investors should watch closely to ensure that over-confidence doesn't get in the way of value creation.
There are reasons why small cap stocks have a history of long term outperformance, although recently, the preference for defensive large cap yields has dominated.
Two commonly asked questions are: 'How much do I need to retire' and 'How much can I afford to spend in retirement'? This is a guide to help you come up with your own numbers to suit your goals and needs.
There seems to be more confusion than clarity about the mechanics of how the new $3 million super tax is supposed to work. Here is an attempt to answer some of the questions from my previous work on the issue.
Washington H. Soul Pattinson is an ASX top 50 stock with one of the best investment track records this country has seen. Yet, most Australians haven’t heard of it, and the company seems to prefer it that way.
We are often quoted life expectancy at birth but what matters most is how long we should live as we grow older. It is surprising how short this can be for people born last century, so make the most of it.
A new report suggests Australian housing is twice as expensive as that of the US and UK on a price-to-income basis. It also reveals that it’s cheaper to live in New York than most of our capital cities.
Here are 10 rules for staying happy and sharp as we age, including socialise a lot, never retire, learn a demanding skill, practice gratitude, play video games (specific ones), and be sure to reminisce.