PROMINENT local advisory firm Oakvale Capital has dismissed suggestions it is at fault for the multi-million losses suffered by a former client, as the Perth firm is taken to court over a claim for close to $10 million.
Every cloud has a silver lining, so the saying goes. So which WA companies delivered the best returns to investors as the cold winds of the global financial crisis wreaked havoc?
IT may come as a surprise, but judging by the results of WA Business News' latest survey of Total Shareholder Returns, the safest place for investors to put their money over the last year has been at the most speculative end of the share market.
WHILE junior explorers dominated the 10 best-performing Western Australian stocks last financial year, was there a defining characteristic that bound together the worst performers for the year? A lack of scale would seem to be one possibility, with the 10
NO matter which way you cut it, the 2008-09 financial year was a shocker for investors in local companies, with only 110 of the 730 or so Western Australian-listed companies managing a positive return of any sort.
Heavy equipment sales and rental company, Emeco Holdings has posted a net profit after tax of $13.3 million for the year to June 30, a fall of 14.5 per cent, which included significant one-off impairment and restructuring charges.
Cash Converters has posted a record profit of $16.2 million for the year to June 30, a gain of 6.5 per cent, on the back of healthy revenue growth driven by increased personal loans, financial services commission and corporate store revenue.
Tap Oil has posted a loss of $4.9 million in its half year results to June 30 after the explosion at Varanus Island impacted upon production levels and, in turn, affected sales.
Uranium exploration company, Extract Resources has launched a $91 million capital raising via a non-renounceable rights issue and private placement to institutional investors to accelerate exploration activities at its Rossing South project in Namibia.
The state government has announced that publicly-owned generator Verve Energy and electricity retailer Synergy would not be re-amalgamated, as part of a strategy to secure Western Australia's future energy needs.
Automobile components and building materials manufacturer, Schaffer Corporation has posted a profit of $10.5 million for the year to June 30, down 4 per cent on last year's results against a 13 per cent fall in group revenue.
The peak body for the nation's construction industry believes a dip in constrution work in the June quarter is only the tip of the iceberg, predicting a sharp decline to unfold as the effects of credit crunch and economic downturn begin to show through.
Dramatic drops in key commodity prices, and the effect of the economic downturn, have impacted heavily upon the bottom line of exploration and mining outift, Kagara.
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has cleared the last regulatory hurdle for the $50 billion Gorgon LNG project, leaving its joint venture owners free to make their final investment decision.
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Reed Resources has raised $6.4 million and will raise a further $4.5 million in a share purchase plan to step up exploration and development activities on three separate projects.
Perth-based property fund manager Aspen Group has secured an investor to underwrite at least $5 million needed to meet loan requirements for its troubled Diversified Property Fund.
The West Australian Meat Marketing Cooperative's (WAMMCO) profits fell dramatically to $1.3 million for the year to June 30 depsite a record turnover, eclipsing the $100 million mark for the first time.
Lithium producer Galaxy Resources has secured a financing agreement with a Chinese private investment company worth up to $156 million enabling the development of two key projects.
Woodside Petroleum chief executive Don Voelte said the company had suggested a range of exit options to its wavering partners in the $30 billion Browse LNG venture to facilitate the timely delivery of the massive project off the Kimberley coast.
Shares in Wesfarmers fell 6 per cent today after Woolworths announced plans to take on the Bunnings business through the takeover of hardware group Danks Holdings.
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Australia's largest gold producer, Newcrest Mining has awarded Nedlands-based mining software provider, ISS Group a $4 million contract for its Mining Intelligence Layer project, utilising ISS's BabelFish product.
Mining, sampling and laboratory equipment producer, Essa is making further improvements in efficiency and implementing cost reductions in response to posting a net loss of $800,000.
Cazaly Resources has secured engineering firm, Lycopodium to complete the pre-feasability study at the Parker Range Iron Ore Project, located in the Yilgarn district of Western Australia.
