Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Wrigley/Mars passes Warren Buffett's taste test

The merger of Mars Inc with Wrigley Jr Company and Warren Buffett's interest in helping fund the purchase, and having a subsequent minority stake in the merged company, to be held by his Berkshire Hathaway investment vehicle, is Warren Buffett in his element.

Wrigley and Mars as one, will make the largest confectionery business in the world and its combined brands, like Mars chocolate bars, Snickers, Doublemint and Juicyfruit will make Buffett a very happy man indeed.

Warren Buffett already owns outright or portions of some of the worlds biggest food, consumer and beverage brands: Coca Cola, Gillette, MacDonald's and America's Sees Candies among them.

He sees in Mars/Wrigley what he sees in his other holdings, companies and brands with strong histories and dominant positions in the marketplace that will survive through the turbulent times and good times alike.

He calls companies like these "Economic Moats", companies that have products to sell that have a point of difference, cannot easily be copied and are hugely dominant, and therefore see off competitors year after year. Mars/Wrigley strong brands easily fulfill this investment requirement.

Another requirement that fits Warren Buffett's investing criteria is the fact that Wrigley/Mars is a very easy business to understand. There is nothing complex about making chewing gum and chocolate bars and therefore huge continuing capital expense involved in such in industries as computing, in coming up with new technology to stay ahead of competitors isn't going to hurt the food-makers bottom line.

One thing I am not sure of, is if Buffett's main criteria for investing is being fulfilled in the Wrigley/Mars tie-up. That is, the value investing part of his investing principles. Whether he is paying too much for his stake in the merged company will only be known by the man himself and by the rest of us in time, as the merits and performance of the merged giant reveal themselves.

He is famous for making good investment decisions and I personally doubt he has made a mistake to get involved in this monumental marriage of these two sugar pushers.

In New Zealand the closest thing we have to a Wrigley/Mars is Goodman Fielder Ltd[GFF] , an Australasian food conglomerate with very strong dominant food brands and a long history of loyalty among consumers. Its brands are staples, its business easy to understand and its products consumed for breakfast lunch and dinner.

It definitely fits my investment criteria and I have a holding.

Further reading on the Mars/Wrigley merger

c Share Investor 2008

Posted by Share Investor at 8:15 PM 0 comments

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Monday, April 28, 2008

Vector sale decision hangs on political knife edge


From the Share Investor Blog an article with a political bite which continues in the vein of The Labour Party and its inconsistent political decisions purely based on returning them to power regardless of the real consequences and the impression it gives the voting public at large.


The dilemma I would be facing now if I was a minister in the New Zealand Government is, if I gave to go ahead for the Hong Kong based, Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings (CKI) to buy 100% of Vector (NZ Herald story) energy's[VCT] lines infrastructure, in the Wellington region, then I would be going against a decision I made just a few weeks ago to refuse the sale of a non-controlling interest in Auckland International Airport[AIA], to a Canadian pension fund, thereby making me look like an utter plonker.

On the other hand If I turned down the sale of arguably a much more "strategic" asset, again Wellington region power line infrastructure, then I would put the Chinese Government's nose out of joint by reneging on detail of various free trade agreements made only a couple of weeks ago and again look like an utter plonker.



Lets face it, our government is at least consistent in its inconsistency.The vetoed sale of the airport and Vector's Wellington lines is the same scenario whatever way one cuts the cable.To say otherwise is to be just ever so slightly more than economical with the truth. For Helen Clark to give the reasons for a go ahead for a Vector sale that "the sale doesn't include any sensitive or strategic land" is a pure unadulterated lie. She made reference to the Airport sale over this "land issue" but that deal wasn't turned down because of "sensitive land", it was turned down for political reasons.



The issue of land rights in the Vector deal may actually be applicable. The power infrastructure and lines that Vector is selling has to have easements over the land they transverse thereby making Helen Clark's claim just a generator or two short of a full load.



It is hard to say what the Labour Government will do in the Vector case, but one can be sure it will be a purely political decision, rather than the financial one it should be, and once again the investing public is unsure about how their investments will be treated by such Governments in future takeovers.The consistency we investors need, especially during these tough economic times, is found wanting by the very authorities that are supposed to be instilling security and a level hand to one of the backbones of our economy-the stockmarket and the essential funds it provides for investment and economic expansion.



The university trained political plonkers who make these decisions have clearly not woken up to the fact that they are not working in theories anymore and the real world consequences of their ludicrous strokes of the pen is costing us millions.Vector is going to retire some of its large debt with the proceeds of the sale, ironically established when management went on a buying spree around 5 years ago and borrowed heavily to buy the Networks now up for sale off United Networks.



Worryingly, Micheal Stiassny, Board Chairman and his management are also looking to use proceeds to buy more infrastructure assets, probably "greener" forms of electricity assets, like wind turbines, in which they already have interests in. Stiassny and his crew don't have a good track record in management or the purchasing of assets.



Investors marked VCT shares down 1c to NZ $2.10 on average volume on today's news.



Related Share Investor Reading



Cullen's move on Auckland Airport has far reaching effects



Related Reading



Stiassny.org

NZ Herald report on Vector sale

www.vector.co.nz

c Share Investor & Political Animal 2008




Posted by Share Investor at 10:04 PM 0 comments

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Vector sale decision hangs on political knife edge

The dilemma I would be facing now if I was a minister in the New Zealand Government is, if I gave to go ahead for the Hong Kong based, Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings (CKI) to buy 100% of Vector Vector Ltd [VCT.NZX] lines infrastructure, in the Wellington region, then I would be going against a decision I made just a few weeks ago to refuse the sale of a non-controlling interest in Auckland International Airport[ Ltd [AIA.NZX], to a Canadian pension fund, thereby making me look like an utter plonker.

 On the other hand If I turned down the sale of arguably a much more "strategic" asset, again Wellington region power line infrastructure, then I would put the Chinese Government's nose out of joint by reneging on detail of various free trade agreements made only a couple of weeks ago and again look like an utter plonker.

 Lets face it, our government is at least consistent in its inconsistency.

 The vetoed sale of the airport and Vector's Wellington lines is the same scenario whatever way one cuts the cable.

 To say otherwise is to be just ever so slightly more than economical with the truth. For Helen Clark to give the reasons for a go ahead for a Vector sale that "the sale doesn't include any sensitive or strategic land" is a pure unadulterated lie. She made reference to the Airport sale over this "land issue" but that deal wasn't turned down because of "sensitive land", it was turned down for political reasons.

 The issue of land rights in the Vector deal may actually be applicable. The power infrastructure and lines that Vector is selling has to have easements over the land they transverse thereby making Helen Clark's claim just a generator or two short of a full load.

 It is hard to say what the Labour Government will do in the Vector case, but one can be sure it will be a purely political decision, rather than the financial one it should be, and once again the investing public is unsure about how their investments will be treated by such Governments in future takeovers.

 The consistency we investors need, especially during these tough economic times, is found wanting by the very authorities that are supposed to be instilling security and a level hand to one of the backbones of our economy. The stockmarket and the essential funds it provides for investment and economic expansion.

 The university trained political plonkers who make these decisions have clearly not woken up to the fact that they are not working in theories anymore and the real world consequences of their ludicrous strokes of the pen is costing us millions.

 Vector is going to retire some of its large debt with the proceeds of the sale, ironically established when management went on a buying spree around 5 years ago and borrowed heavily to buy the Networks now up for sale off United Networks.

 Worryingly, Micheal Stiassny, Board Chairman and his management are also looking to use proceeds to buy more infrastructure assets, probably "greener" forms of electricity assets, like wind turbines, in which they already have interests in. Stiassny and his crew don't have a good track record in management or the purchasing of assets.

 Investors marked VCT shares down 1c to NZ $2.10 on average volume on today's news.
Related Share Investor Reading

 Cullen's move on Auckland Airport has far reaching effects

Related Reading

Stiassny.org
NZ Herald report on Vector sale
Vector.co.nz

 Vector Ltd @ Share Investor

 Long Term View: Vector Ltd

 Discuss VCT @ Share Investor Forum
Download VCT Company Reports




c Share Investor 2008


Posted by Share Investor at 7:18 PM 0 comments

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The Warehouse Group takeover saga continues

One to watch this week.

The Warehouse[WHS.NZX] takeover saga continues Tuesday 28 April (NZ Time) with the Court of Appeal case, and runs for a further 3 days. There will be no immediate decision, with weeks more to wait, well, we have waited nearly 2 years so far, and the likelihood that Foodstuffs and Woolworths Australia [WOW.ASX] will be able to make a bid looks more likely than not.

The Commerce Commission(CC), who are appealing against the affirmative decision in the High Court last year, have struck it lucky to some extent, with spiraling food prices making emotive headlines all over the place but it any judge worth his pay packet will look past this temporary wave of bio fuel inspired food inflation and make a fully emotionless decision.

The CC have a wafer thin case and any new arguments for their case will probably pin themselves on the possibility that The Warehouse and its "Extra" food format will be a serious player sometime in the distant future.

The Warehouse Group @ Share Investor

Long vs Short: The Warehouse Group
Warehouse bidders ready to lay money down
The Warehouse set to cut lose "extra" impediment
The Warehouse sale could hinge on "Extra" decision
The case for The Warehouse without a buyer
Foodstuffs take their foot off the gas
Woolworths seek leave to appeal to Supreme Court
Warehouse appeal decision imminent
Warehouse decision a loser for all
Warehouse Court of appeal decision in Commerce Commission's favour
MARKETWATCH: The Warehouse
The Warehouse takeover saga continues
Why did you buy that stock? [The Warehouse]
History of Warehouse takeover players suggest a long winding road
Court of Appeal delays Warehouse bid
The Warehouse set for turbulent 2008
The Warehouse Court of Appeal case lay in "Extras" hands
WHS Court of Appeal case could be dismissed next week
Commerce Commission impacts on the Warehouse bottom line
The Warehouse in play
Outcomes of Commerce Commission decision
The fight for control begins soon

Share Investor Forum-Discuss this topic


Unlikely given that The Warehouse itself has largely lost interest in the concept itself.

While many may groan when I mention government interference halting the other long running takeover saga, the Auckland Airport bid by the Canadians, this writer wouldn't put anything past New Zealand's socialist government putting their sticky mitts into this deal, should the Court of Appeal case come down in The Warehouse favour.

Whatever the machinations maybe in our courts this week, the outcome will be closely watched and a positive outcome for The Warehouse will be a serious shot in the arm for our local stockmarket, given its rather stagnant showing over the last 6 months.

Many shareholders will reinvest the collective north of NZ$ 2 billion proceeds of a sale in other shares on the NZX.

Keep watching here for further updates on this story.


Related Links

The Warehouse Financial Data


Related Amazon reading


The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy

The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy by Charles Fishman
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c Share Investor 2008 & 2009

Posted by Share Investor at 7:17 AM 0 comments

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