0148 GMT - Domain's first-quarter controllable yield growth is likely to disappoint investors, as it falls short of the scale of the Australian real-estate advertiser's price increases, E&P analyst Entcho Raykovski writes. Raykovski notes that controllable yield for the September-quarter grew by 6%, compared with a 7.5% price rise, and that the difference is due to customers' increased use of downgrades. The analyst doubts this update will help narrow the performance gap with rival REA, controlled by News Corp. E&P holds a last-published neutral rating on the stock and a target price of A$3.20. Shares are down 6.4% at A$2.845. News Corp. owns Dow Jones & Co., publisher of this newswire and The Wall Street Journal. ([email protected])

0133 GMT - Domain's unchanged full-year cost and margin guidance implies that the Australian real-estate advertiser will outperform Citi's expectations over its fiscal 2H. Analyst Siraj Ahmed tells clients that Domain's 1Q digital revenue was weaker than he had forecast, with softer-than-expected residential yield growth a major factor. However, he writes that Domain's reiteration of guidance for cost growth in the high-single to low-double digits is positive given worries that it might have to increase spending. Citi has a last-published buy rating and A$3.65 target price on the stock, which is down 6.25% at A$2.85. ([email protected])

2311 GMT - Domino's Pizza Enterprises' bulls at Morgan Stanley point out that its new CEO has already restructured and improved one business in Japan. The investment bank's analysts tell clients that Mark van Dyck's time at U.K.-listed food group Compass included accelerating growth and profitability in Japan, where the Australian fast-food franchiser is struggling to turnaround its performance. He also completed a strategic reset of its Australian business, they add in a note. MS has a last-published overweight rating and A$44.00 target price on Domino's stock, which is at A$31.60 ahead of the open. ([email protected])

2256 GMT - It could be smart for Vicinity Centres to sell its Box Hill Central North development site in Australia's Victoria state, says Morgan Stanley. Still, a sale may support investor perceptions that Vicinity over-promises and under-delivers, analyst Simon Chan says. Morgan Stanley thinks Vicinity could get A$275 million from selling the site. This is more than 2x the last disclosed book value. "If our numbers are right, we think it could make sense for Vicinity to move the asset on, and not proceed with the long-dated build-out of the seven buildings in the scheme," Morgan Stanley says. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2250 GMT - Domino's Pizza Enterprises' new CEO has his plate full as he looks to address issues that Macquarie analyst Caleb Wheatley says include the fast-food franchiser's underperformance in France and Japan. Wheatley thinks that the appointment of Mark van Dyck from outside the business signals the potential for strategic change. He tells clients in a note that the CEO's focus will likely be on the Australian company's presence in France and Japan, broader store rollout targets, and improving franchisees' profitability. Macquarie cuts its target price 8.0% to A$32.20 and keeps a neutral rating on the stock. Shares are at A$31.60 ahead of the open. ([email protected])

2244 GMT - Building materials supplier James Hardie will require significant above-market growth to meet its annual guidance, says Jefferies. James Hardie expects adjusted net income of $630 million-$700 million, with an Ebit margin of 29-31% in North America. "Whilst expectations of macroeconomic relief may have been expected given interest rate cuts, the recent increase in the 30-year mortgage rate and Repair & Remodel commentary indicates the market remains weak into 4Q of FY 2024," says analyst Kai Erman. Jefferies retains a hold call on James Hardie's stock. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2241 GMT - Nursing costs are likely to remain painful for Ramsay Health Care, reckons Citi. It highlights that employee costs eat up some 57% of revenue, and a significant proportion is for nursing staff. "Our analysis of Ramsay's Enterprise Bargaining Agreements and recent public sector agreements suggest that nursing staff wage growth could increase from 4% in FY 2025 to more than 4.5% per annum over FY 2026-2027," analyst Mathieu Chevrier says. The outcome will depend on wage negotiations in three states that account for some 80% of Ramsay's nursing staff in Australia, Citi says. Negotiations are ongoing in New South Wales. Enterprise Bargaining Agreements in Queensland and Victoria are due to expire in June and September, respectively. Citi retains a neutral call on Ramsay. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2217 GMT - Citi thinks the market could be overestimating the amount of liquefied natural gas that will be produced from Woodside Energy's Burrup Hub. This may be because it is modelling production from gas fields without considering downstream liquefaction capacity. So, there could be "double counting" capacity when Woodside's new Scarborough development comes online, analyst James Byrne says. Another explanation is that the market assumes a significant amount of gas from Woodside's Pluto project is sent to the North West Shelf facility for liquefaction. "We see a risk that consensus is overestimating Pluto production longer term which we estimate could be adding 5% to consensus valuations," Citi says. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2205 GMT - Jefferies analysts tell clients in a research note that Aristocrat's focus on social casino games makes sense, pointing to fresh data for October that shows Aristocrat made gains in the sector for the first time in 2024--while other gaming categories remain in decline. The Australia-based gaming company earlier this year announced a strategic review for its casual and mid-core gaming assets, but signaled that its social casino offerings weren't part of the review. The Jefferies analysts say clarity on the strategic review would be positive for Aristocrat, noting that walking away from non-social casino games improves the company's FY 2026 Ebitda growth rate from 6.8% to 7.8%. The Jefferies analysts see Aristocrat shares rising to A$68, compared to yesterday's close of A$62.43. The company reports earnings next week. ([email protected]; @Mike_Cherney)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires