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7 September 2026
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Underpinning the current wave of consolidation amongst Australian super funds is the belief that it helps to be big. Is this really the case and is there any advantage in being a member of a large super fund?
As market uncertainty continues, it is more important than ever to have a sound investment process. To help with a long-term focus, it may be useful to have some guidelines to fall back on when the market noise gets too loud.
Is bigger better for super funds? APRA certainly thinks so as it pushes for more mergers but what might members be losing from a more personal touch? Veteran journalist Greg Bright explains events at Media Super.
Anyone investing in media must understand the momentous change and disruption underway. During a span of just 21 days, US$85 billion of M&A centred on video games, which is now bigger than the movie industry.
Companies always boast the synergies and growth prospects of acquisitions, but dig a little deeper with these questions and you might see why most of these deals fail to add value when finally bedded down.
Fairfax and Nine together will not magically produce a great company. The business models of newspapers and free-to-air TV are compromised by giants in digital and media industries, and viewing habits have changed.
Well-executed mergers and acquisitions can add material shareholder value, but there are plenty of examples where they destroy value, and in the worst cases, jeopardise the entire company.
Hostile takeover battles can produce heated disputes between company directors, managers and shareholders. What’s in the company’s long term interests and who decides? Does shareholder activism aid or hinder?
When analysing the latest takeover offer, these timeless country music lyrics come to mind. Because each situation is different, you'll need to know whether to accept the offer, hold out for more, or just dump and run.
In 2013, M&A market confidence returned and we are already seeing an increase in deal activity this year. However, investors should watch closely to ensure that over-confidence doesn't get in the way of value creation.
There are reasons why small cap stocks have a history of long term outperformance, although recently, the preference for defensive large cap yields has dominated.
For the last few years there has been much talk of a 'cost-of-living' crisis in Australia and of 'falling living standards'. Lately this has flared up again with the pickup in inflation resulting in a renewed fall in real wages.
Fear of running out has become a defining retirement anxiety. Why do some retirees die with substantial wealth while others deplete their nest egg? Evidence suggests the answer is more complicated than we think.
What if Australia’s golden age of dividends is ending? Rather than overhaul your portfolio, it may be worth considering where new capital can work harder. I discuss four income strategies and the trade-offs behind each.
Tax rules have changed, but many investors are still using yesterday’s strategies. Insurance bonds may offer advantages for those seeking greater control, tax efficiency and certainty about their wealth.
Conventional wisdom encourages retirees to preserve superannuation. But if those likely to qualify for the Age Pension later in life spend a little more today, it may deliver higher lifetime income and a more stable retirement.
Treasury’s latest CGT reform draft delivers a win for testamentary trusts and deceased estates, exempting estate-derived gains from the 30% floor. However, questions on death and divorce rollovers remain unresolved.