MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares rise

New Zealand shares rose in light trading as earnings trickled off, with Auckland International Airport leading the index while A2 Milk Co continued to drop.

The S&P/NZX50 Index gained 20.69 points, or 0.3%, to 7387.95. Within the index, 22 stocks rose, 20 fell and nine were unchanged. Turnover was $124.1 million.

Auckland International Airport led the index, up 2.9% to $7.51. The listed airport announced its annual results yesterday, with net profit rising 17.4% to $262.4 million while underlying profit rose 20.6% to $212.7 million.

"That was a pretty strong result, it certainly beat our expectations and even though it trades at a lofty multiple it's a quality asset," said Peter McIntyre, investment adviser at Craigs Investment Partners. "I think a number of investors are wanting to buy the asset for the longer term and collect a dividend along the way."

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare gained 2.2% to $9.88 and Genesis Energy rose 2.1% to $2.22.

A2 Milk Co was the biggest decliner, down 4% to $1.90. It's dropped 17.4% since last Wednesday when it announced a return to full-year profit, meeting guidance, and a 127% jump in revenue that was driven by infant formula sales in Australia and China.

In the US, progress is behind A2's schedule, which it attributed to delays in achieving distribution with a number of larger retailers. US operations also had to cope with serious health issues for US chief executive Jeffrey O'Neill in the first half, who was replaced by Blake Waltrip, the company said. A2's US strategy now assumed further investment in that market of $US20-25 million over the next two-to-three years before it will achieve positive monthly ebitda.

"There's some concern over whether they can drive growth in the US market, which would be a catalyst for higher earnings, and maybe that's dampened down future earning expectations so people have taken some money off the table," Mr McIntyre said.

Chorus fell 3.5% to $4.39. The telecommunications network operator gave its annual earnings yesterday, saying profit was $91 million in the 12 months ended June 30, unchanged from a year earlier.

"There is further weakness, on light volume, but there are concerns about what's going to happen in 2020 now," Mr McIntyre said. "There is a review on fibre pricing, and the share price had run particularly hard up into that result. It was within guided expectations but a number have awoken to the review on fibre pricing and how that would impact on Chorus, and markets don't like uncertainty, so you've seen some money taken off the top."

Z Energy dropped 1.4% to $8.51.

Outside the main index, Tenon gained 7.1% to $2.70. The Taupo-based wood processor's US operations are under offer from a New York-based private equity firm for $US110 million that the company's directors say will allow a substantial capital return to shareholders, despite a $NZ31 million writedown in the carrying value of the assets to be sold.

Energy explorer New Zealand Oil & Gas rose 6% to 53c. The company will make a tender offer to shareholders to accelerate the buyback of up to 40 million shares. Timed for September 16, the initiative is intended to "create a liquidity event that should spur trading" and allow shareholders to cash out at a premium to the pre-announcement share price of 50c a share.

Pyne Gould Corp was unchanged at 22c. The investment group that plans to target "distressed assets" has avoided being suspended from the NZX after filing its annual results a day late, revealing a drop in income and a narrower full-year loss.

Veritas Investments was unchanged at 47c . The owner of the Mad Butcher franchise and Nosh food market outlets, is in talks with its bank over the terms of its debt but believes it can continue as a going concern even though liabilities are three times more than assets.

(BusinessDesk)

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