Insightful Insights

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released retail trade data for August 2014. A single data point is not very meaningful, so instead we thought we’d draw on the deep pool of data available to explore long-term trends. continue…

by Ben MacNevin Posted in Consumer discretionary, Insightful Insights.

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The price of gold has been a source of angst in recent years. After getting up to US$1,900/oz in 2011, it has more recently fallen to around US$1,200/oz. This decline, combined with a resurgence of volatility in financial markets, has prompted discussion on whether gold now presents as an attractive investment. continue…

by Tim Kelley Posted in Energy / Resources, Insightful Insights.

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Longer-term followers of the blog would by now be aware that Sirtex Medical Ltd (ASX: SRX) is one of the largest positions in our funds. continue…

by Russell Muldoon Posted in Health Care, Insightful Insights.

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In the face of a poor market during the September 2014 quarter, both Montgomery products recorded very pleasing results. The Montgomery Fund (TMF) was up 4.9 per cent, while The Montgomery [Private] Fund (MPF) was up 4.2 per cent. continue…

by David Buckland Posted in Insightful Insights, Montgomery News and Updates.

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REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA) announced that they are partnering with News Corp (Nasdaq: NWS), a majority owner of REA, to acquire US-based company Move Inc (Naqdaq: MOVE) for a total of US$950 million. As per the chart below, Move Inc has an interesting history, and has most recently benefitted from the recovery in the US housing market. continue…

by Scott Shuttleworth Posted in Insightful Insights, Property.

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Over the 2009 to 2014 period, China’s non-financial corporate debt to GDP ratio has risen from 90 per cent to 120 per cent.  Our friends at Macquarie Research have done some excellent analysis, collecting the financial data from nearly 3,000 companies that have outstanding bonds. continue…

by David Buckland Posted in Insightful Insights.

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Team Montgomery has long warned the Australian dollar, at near parity to the US dollar, has a fair bit of downside risk (see here, here and here). With that hypothesis now playing out – and commentators starting to crow – you may be wondering which companies may benefit from a stronger US dollar. continue…

by Ben MacNevin Posted in Foreign Currency, Insightful Insights.

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Earlier this week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) commented on the Harper Competition Review Draft Report. ACCC Chairman, Rod Sims, said: “The draft report is part of the most significant review in this area for over 20 years”. continue…

by David Buckland Posted in Insightful Insights.

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Yesterday we attended TPG Telecom Limited’s (ASX: TPM) FY14 full-year results presentation. I’ve compiled some short notes on their results below, as well as some more comprehensive thoughts on the expansion of their fiber-to-the-basement (FTTB) network. continue…

by Scott Shuttleworth Posted in Insightful Insights, Technology & Telecommunications.

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by Scott Shuttleworth Posted in Insightful Insights, On the Internet.

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