0353 GMT - Nine Entertainment needs to execute on its strong monetization strategy if it is to turn UBS analysts bullish on the stock. With an unchanged neutral rating on the Australian media conglomerate, the UBS analysts tell clients in a note that they see growth opportunities in Nine's digital assets in streaming and publishing. They point out that growth in digital is now exceeding declines in print, but reckon that the shares will only rerate once Nine shows sustainable double-digit Ebitda growth at its broader digital and publishing business. UBS keeps a A$1.22 target price on the stock, which is down 3.3% at A$1.11. ([email protected])

0344 GMT - The diminishing risk of an equity raise allows Domino's Pizza Enterprises to shake off its bear at Citi. Analyst Sam Teeger raises his recommendation on the Australian fast-food franchiser to neutral from sell, telling clients in a note that its recent debt refinance has derisked its balance sheet for the next 24 months. Franchisee profitability, a long-running sore point for the company, appears to be improving and trading no longer seems to be deteriorating, he says. Citi raises its target price by 50% to A$19.85. Shares are up 7.8% at A$20.725. ([email protected])

0042 GMT - Domino's Pizza Enterprises' stronger-than-expected full-year profit guidance isn't enough to shake its bears at Morgan Stanley. MS analysts maintain an underweight recommendation on the stock, pointing to near-term headwinds and execution risk on management's turnaround strategy. They tell clients in a note that the Australian fast-food franchiser's new pricing strategy is unproven but crucial to restoring franchisees' profitability. MS raises its target price by 4.8% to A$15.30. Shares are up 8.9% at A$20.93. ([email protected])

0029 GMT - Weakness in Canada likely drove Xero's first-half revenue miss in North America, RBC Capital Markets analyst Garry Sherriff says. He tells clients in a note that subscriber growth in the region was in line with expectations, leading him to believe that the accounting-software provider is also discounting. Sherriff observes that Canada will be reallocated to Xero's rest-of-world division when the company reports its next results, leaving the U.S. as a standalone division. RBC has a last-published sector perform rating and A$185.00 target price on the stock, which is down 3.6% at A$134.90. ([email protected])

0020 GMT - Xero's first-half result looks solid to its bulls at Jarden. The investment bank's analysts tell clients that operating momentum from the accounting-software provider's recently acquired Melio unit seems to be stronger than they had anticipated. Operating expenses accounted for a lower percentage of operating revenue than the Jarden analysts had anticipated, but they acknowledge that this was assisted by higher-than-expected capitalization of product and development costs. Jarden has a last-published buy rating and A$196.00 target price on the stock, which is down 4.8% at A$133.28. ([email protected])

(END) Dow Jones Newswires