0352 GMT - Telstra may fall short of first-half revenue expectations due to pressure on postpaid mobile demand, Jarden analysts reckon. They forecast A$5.535 billion in December half mobile revenue from the Australian telecommunications provider, compared with an average analyst forecast of A$5.559 billion. Analysts Tom Beadle and Liam Robertson tell clients in a note that they expect only very limited growth in postpaid services, pointing to potential for increased churn from Telstra's shutdown of its 3G network. Cost-of-living pressures may also have pushed some customers onto prepaid services, they add. However, they think other analysts are too pessimistic on costs and their first-half Ebitda forecast is in line with the analyst average. Jarden has an overweight rating and A$4.20 target price on the stock, which is down 0.5% at A$4.00. ([email protected])

0350 GMT - Jarden analysts remain bearish on CAR Group, despite becoming more optimistic about the vehicle classifieds provider's Australian dealer business. They raise their annual revenue growth forecasts for CAR's Australian dealer business through fiscal 2029, noting that the group aims to increase its dealer margin take rate to over 10% through price hikes and new products. Jarden raises its target price for the stock by 8.4% to A$35.50, while maintaining an underweight rating on valuation. The analysts add that there are more favorable risk-reward opportunities elsewhere. Shares are up 2.2% at A$38.63. ([email protected])

0200 GMT - Rio's Tinto's 4Q iron-ore output was in line with Jefferies's expectations, although shipments slightly missed, its analysts say in a note. "Notably, the portion of lower quality SP10 ore in the mix continues to increase and was higher than we had expected," they say. Copper production in 4Q significantly beat the bank's expectations, mostly because of an excellent quarter at Escondida, say the analysts. The Oyu Tolgoi mine had a good quarter as well, they say. Jefferies has a buy rating and A$147 target on Rio Tinto. The stock is little changed in Sydney at A$119.46. ([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

0035 GMT - Seek's bull at Macquarie is confident that near-term interest-rate cuts will stoke job ad volumes and boost the Australian classifieds provider. An analyst note says that Seek remains the investment bank's preferred exposure to the local rate cuts widely anticipated to occur in 2025. The note points to a high historic correlation between rate cuts and ad volumes, with continued low unemployment likely to be a supporting factor. The bank's analysts are cautious on Seek's Asian business, but see lower operating leverage rather than any earnings risk. Macquarie cuts its target price 11% to A$25.00 but keeps an outperform rating on the stock, which is up 2.7% at A$22.29. ([email protected])

0019 GMT - Premier Investments' Peter Alexander sleepwear business looks set to experience a softer start to life in the U.K. than previously anticipated, Macquarie analysts warn. They tell clients in a note that the unit's disappointing first-half performance tempers expectations through fiscal 2026, with a higher-priced product and cost-of-living pressures likely to weigh on its U.K. expansion. They lower their forecast for Peter Alexander sales growth to 2% from 7% for fiscal 2025, and to 4% from 7% in fiscal 2026. Macquarie lowers its target price on the Australian retail conglomerate by 15% to A$29.00 and maintains a neural rating. Shares are up 5.25% at A$28.385, but still 14% lower so far this week. ([email protected])

2358 GMT - Computershare loses its bull at Goldman Sachs following the stock's recent strong run. Analyst Julian Braganza remains cautiously optimistic about the share-registry provider's earnings growth prospects, but lowers his recommendation to neutral from buy after yield expectations and a strong U.S. dollar helped the stock rally 34% in the December quarter. His fiscal 2025 EPS forecast is slightly ahead of company guidance, but he tells clients in a note that the GS macro team expects the Australian dollar to strengthen through 2026. GS raises its target price 15% to A$35.50. Shares are down 1.8% at A$33.35. ([email protected])

2354 GMT - Mining giant Rio Tinto reckons the global economy is showing resilience, with inflation moderating and growth stabilizing. Still, risks of geopolitical tensions and persistent labor shortages remain, it says in a 4Q 2024 report. "The Chinese economy provided mixed signals during the quarter," the miner says. Headwinds from the property market crisis continue, although home sales data has shown signs of stabilizing, it says. "The U.S. economy has outperformed other developed economies and its outlook remains stable," Rio Tinto says. ([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

2331 GMT - Australian data-center operator and developer DigiCo's new bulls are attracted by what they see as largely risk-free near-term U.S. earnings growth. Goldman Sachs initiates coverage of the stock with a buy rating, with an analyst note to clients that highlights the impending earnings growth from its Chicago-based center becoming operational. The analysts also like the long-term growth optionality offered by the ASX-listed company's Los Angeles-based developments. At a group level, they forecast Ebitda growth from an annualized A$97 million in the second half of fiscal 2025 to A$175 million across fiscal 2027. GS puts a A$5.80 target price on the stock, which is up 2.3% at A$4.51. ([email protected])

2315 GMT - Santos's 4Q production report could disappoint investors, says Goldman Sachs. Santos is due to update the market on Jan. 23 and Goldman's production forecast is 2% below consensus hopes while the bank also anticipates a 1% miss on sales volumes. "We estimate LNG sales improved 20% quarter-on-quarter and our estimates are 5% above consensus primarily from seasonal shaping at GLNG," says Goldman, referring to Santos's gas-export project in Australia. Still, it projects domestic gas sales were 13% below consensus due to lower production at Moomba and Devil Creek, and because it prioritized supply from GLNG toward export markets. "We expect Santos will provide 2025 guidance, and estimate 92 million BOE total production and US$2.3 billion total capex for the year," Goldman says. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2308 GMT - Australian buy-now-pay-later operator Zip may have benefited from the same strong U.S. demand cited by rival Sezzle, Citi analyst Siraj Ahmed reckons. Sezzle upgraded its revenue guidance on what it called "exceptional holiday demand," and Ahmed thinks that Zip could beat the average analyst forecast of A$153 million in second-quarter cash earnings. As well as U.S. growth, he points to weakness in the Australian dollar, which should boost the power of U.S.-generated revenue, and an expectation that Zip can contain its U.S. bad debts. Citi has a neutral rating and A$3.15 target price on the stock, which is at A$2.81 ahead of the open. ([email protected])

2303 GMT - Woodside Energy could beat consensus hopes for 4Q output, sales volumes and revenue, reckons Goldman Sachs. That reflects expectations for LNG sales at the North West Shelf facility in Australia. While Goldman estimates total LNG sales fell 2% quarter-on-quarter, its view is 1% above consensus. "The North West Shelf has maintained relatively flat exports quarter-on-quarter, potentially on higher tolled interconnector volumes from Pluto during unplanned maintenance," Goldman says. Higher oil sales from the Sangomar project in Senegal could offset lower sales from the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, which was impacted by hurricane shutdowns. "Woodside could provide 2025 guidance, where we estimate 193 million BOE production, and US$4.9 billion total capex for the year (assuming 100% interest in Louisiana LNG)," Goldman adds. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2241 GMT - The recovery in Monadelphous's stock in recent months has cost it a bull in Macquarie. Monadelphous's share price is up around 1/4 since hitting a low in August when a rout in the lithium sector raised concerns around its pipeline of work. Macquarie says investors have recognized Monadelphous's resilience and diverse business model, and its balance sheet is strong. It moves to neutral, from outperform, with its revised A$14.80/share target price only slightly above Monadelphous's closing price of A$14.44 on Wednesday. "We factor low double-digit EPS growth in next three years," says Macquarie. "This is reflected in (the) share price in our view." ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2209 GMT - Morgan Stanley thinks Corporate Travel Management is a good bet to positively surprise with its 1H result next month. Analyst James Bales expects its 1H Ebitda to be more than 1/3 of guidance for FY 2025 as a whole. If it does, the company could be tracking toward Ebitda of around A$210 million. That's higher than current consensus hopes of A$201 million and would lower risks to FY expectations, Morgan Stanley says. The bank also has eyes on Corporate Travel Management's U.K. business. "Following rebasing in size of a major contract and further government cost cutting, we see delivery of positive year-over-year growth in U.K. as a point of inflection," Morgan Stanley says. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2136 GMT - ARB Corp's bull at Citi expects the 4WP chain acquired by its U.S. associate to turn profitable in fiscal 2027. Analyst Sam Teeger incorporates ARB's 50% stake in 53 mostly 4WP-branded stores into his forecasts, driving cuts to his net profit forecasts for fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026, but upgrades over the longer term. Teeger tells clients that the 4% increase to his fiscal 2034 net profit forecast is based on an expectation of 4WP turning profitable and a resumption of new store openings. Citi trims its target price 1.6% to A$49.22 and keeps a buy rating on the stock, which is atA$40.08 ahead of the open.([email protected])

442 GMT - Baby Bunting's improving sales trends and margins are early signs of success for the baby goods retailer's turnaround plans, according to its new bull at Citi. Analyst Sam Teeger raises his recommendation on the stock to buy from neutral, telling clients that further performance enhancements could come from store openings and refurbishments. There's also potential for more positive margin surprises from the delayed impact of supplier renegotiations, he writes in a note. Teeger removes his prior high-risk rating from the stock, reflecting his increased confidence in the turnaround. Citi's target price rises 1.5% to A$2.01. Shares are up 12% at A$1.77. ([email protected])

(END) Dow Jones Newswires