Daily FNArena News - Australia

Brokers welcome the strong first half results from gaming machine business, Aristocrat Leisure, as the company continues to deliver on its growth initiatives by developing titles for both land and digital platforms.

The latest industry data suggests market conditions are particularly challenging for the automotive dealerships and this offsets the passing of the financing headwinds that have plagued the sector recently.

Laboratory services business ALS Ltd confounded brokers with a slump in its life sciences division at the FY17 result, and several suggest this puts the stock’s trading multiple at risk.

The big banks had already posted disappointing earnings numbers before Scott Morrison dropped his bombshell. What does the future hold now?

Technology One surprised brokers in its first half result, posting a maiden profit in cloud business and weakness in its more established consulting business.

Suncorp continues to skew its banking business away from investor and interest-only loans, revealing weak lending growth in retail in the March quarter offset by very low loan losses.

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare posted a strong FY17 result, albeit overshadowed by litigation, and brokers remain confident of continued success with new products and market expansion.

Origin Energy has completed the sale of its Darling Downs pipeline, accumulating more than $1bn in proceeds from asset sales so far, and brokers assess the company’s progress in redefining its position in the energy market.

Brokers suspect investors will require patience when it comes to James Hardie as the company once again disappoints with its FY17 result.

Mining services business Orica expects a gradual recovery in earnings while the question for brokers centres on the extent to which headwinds are receding.