Oceania considers IPO, Fishhooks in Kotahi deal, Vista’s path to listing and what to make of director share trades

Macquarie Bank is exploring sale options for its wholly owned local aged care provider Oceania Group including a possible initial public offering and sharemarket listing.

A trade sale is also a possibility for Oceania, which has around 4,600 residents in more than 50 retirement villages and rest homes nationwide. “We’re keeping an open mind and like anyone we’re looking at ways to accelerate growth,” Oceania chief financial officer Matthew Ward tells NBR business reporter Calida Smylie

Is the widely applauded 10-year shipping contract deal between Port of Tauranga, Kotahi and Maersk Line really a win-win for exporters and the Bay of Plenty port? Not necessarily, business reporter Nick Grant discovers.

Technology editor Chris Keall talks to cinema software maker Vista Group about its path to IPO, movie theatres’ shift to digital distribution and other opportunities for the Auckland-based company.

Calida Smylie has a look at director share trades and asks whether following what they do is a reasonable investment strategy.

Meanwhile, a month out from the corporate earnings season, analysts are expecting a mixed bag of results with a few companies having already showed their hand through profit guidance downgrades. Chief reporter Duncan Bridgeman previews what to expect.

Also in print this week, court reporter Victoria Young reveals exactly what entities can challenge Telecom as it prepares its $20 million rebrand to Spark, Jamie Ball delves into why the Far North District Council is subject to a Serious Fraud Office investigation, and economics editor Rob Hosking previews next week’s Reserve Bank review of interest rates.

Rob Hosking also discusses the rise of Colin Craig and the increasing emphasis on gender issues by established parties, while Campbell Gibson asks how the Electoral Commission will spend $6.1 million of taxpayer’s money on advertising ahead of the general election.

Meanwhile, in the second of a series, guest commentator Sir Roger Douglass suggests a new structure for local government, Neville Bennett follows up on “peak oil” and Nathan Smith discusses Japan’s revival.

Briefly:

• In Media Watch, David Cohen poses 30 hot media questions to mull over this weekend.
• Heartland’s Jacqueline Rowarth brings forward food facts and explodes myths
• Property editor Chris Hutching looks at Chinese capital flowing into this country
• Shoeshine explores the latest investment trends as the sharemarket keeps rising

All this and more in today’s National Business Review. Out now.