Daily FNArena News - Australia

Nearmap has implemented savings initiatives, anticipating positive cash flow by June, despite being deemed an essential service and unaffected to date by the pandemic.

There are some positive stories emanating from Perpetual’s initiatives but one broker questions whether the dividend may still need to be cut.

South32 is making a considerable effort to protect its balance sheet as its commodity spectrum comes under pressure from virus-related restrictions.

Sandfire Resources has erred on the cautious side, withdrawing production guidance while development projects are likely to be delayed.

Rio Tinto has a strong balance sheet and margin advantages, which should enable the resource leader to weather the current volatile environment.

Woodside Petroleum has a well-financed balance sheet, able to withstand the current collapse in oil prices, but 2020 is likely to be a subdued year for the oil & gas business.

Earnings for both Caltex Australia and Viva Energy are plummeting, as fuel consumption declines markedly across the country. Questions are also raised about the future of Australian refining.

Broker views on Afterpay vary widely, despite the company assuring the market it is well-positioned to manage the current crisis.

Broker views differ on whether the separation of luxury brand Penfolds would create value for Treasury Wine Estates.

FNArena’s Monitor keeps track of corporate earnings result releases, including broker views, ratings and target price changes and beat/miss assessments.