What the Flux

The ‘brand strength’ of Pfizer has jumped more than 15 places to no. 30 in the latest global brand strength survey.   Coca-Cola Australia is joining the hard-seltzer train with its first ever alcoholic drink: Topo Chico.   To diversify her income and connect with fans, gymnastics star Simone Biles has released an NFT collection on Tom Brady’s NFT platform.   --- &n...

Webjet expects to be ‘cash flow positive’ in 2022 thanks to its post-COVID strategy, WebBeds, an intermediary between hotels and travel agents.   While Spotify buys cultural podcast brands like Joe Rogan and The Ringer, Apple has bought a classical music streaming service.   Splitit, another local buy now pay later company, has seen its merchant sales increase 94% - as the BN...

Adore Beauty has achieved its first profit - in its first year as a public company - following a big 12 months of lockdown-inspired sales.   Crown Resorts, the $6.3 billion Aussie casino operator, has lost $261 million after COVID forced its venues to shut.   TikTok is following Facebook and Snap by building its own ‘augmented reality’ platform, as the AR ad industry gets set...

Aussie-owned beauty company BWX is buying in to Zoë Foster-Blake’s Go-To Skincare for $89 million.   At-home fitness company Peloton, which counts many celebs as fans, has reported a surprise drop in customer growth as the world opens up.   Global gaming giant Fortnite has introduced a Martin Luther King experience within the game where users can listen to MLK’s I Have A...

Hey hey Flux fam and happy Saturday!   A lot has changed in super this year - and it definitely affects you. So, grab a beverage and get ready to enjoy around 7 minutes of pure educational delight.   Oh, and it's all thanks to our friends at CareSuper. They certainly know a thing or two about how to outperform. https://www.caresuper.com.au/outperform   ---   Save money and win...

A2 Milk is on the lookout for new growth opportunities as its (formerly) lucrative Chinese market shrinks.   Woolworths is giving shareholders $2 billion after spinning off its hotel and liquor business Endeavour Group.   Meditation app Headspace and mental health service Ginger are merging together to form Headspace Health.   ---   Save money and win cash prizes up to $250k we...

Coles has refinanced $1.3 billion worth of debt with ‘sustainability linked loans’.   Medibank Private has achieved a profit bonanza, largely thanks to its cheaper brand for young Aussies, AHM.   TikTok has announced it is moving into the e-commerce space with a new Shopify partnership.   ---   Save money and win cash prizes up to $250k weekly: https://bit.ly/Winthe...

BHP could see its credit rating drop to a record low after its oil & gas business merges with Woodside Petroleum.   The owner of Click Frenzy is buying a NZ-based online marketplace for almost $17M, primarily for its large database.   Users of live-streaming gaming platform Twitch are holding a one-day blackout to raise awareness over hateful practices on the platform.   --- &nb...

Aussie furniture retailer Adairs has achieved another record year of sales - up almost 30% to $500M - thanks to its ‘omni-channel model’.   Microsoft has stepped outside its comfort zone with an investment of around $7 million (AUD) into an Indian hotel chain named Oyo.   Aussie company Spark Infrastructure has agreed to a $5B buyout from private equity firms, as low interest...

Aussie telco TPG has saved $38 million as a result of its recent merger with Vodafone.   UniSuper is threatening to divest from Aussie biotech giant CSL unless it makes plans to reach a net-zero emissions target.   Facebook is facing new anti-trust complaints over its ‘buy or bury’ tactics, which have supposedly given the company an illegal monopoly.   ---   Save mo...

Penfolds-maker Treasury Wine Estates has increased its profits despite massive tariffs from the Chinese government.   Tesla’s so-called ‘autopilot’ technology is under investigation for potentially being misleading after multiple crashes.   Origin Energy has slumped to a $2.3 billion loss thanks to heavy ‘write-downs’ in the value of its assets.   --- &...

Optus is entering the subscription game by launching a one-stop-shop for managing subscriptions and memberships.   CommBank is launching a new buy now pay later tool - and it plans to generate significant revenue from related ‘swipe fees’.   OnlyFans, the not-safe-for-work platform, is launching a safe-for-work app in order to get into the good books of Apple and Google. &nbs...

Domain, the real estate platform owned by Nine, will pay back its JobKeeper cash after a strong rebound in profits.   Breville has cracked the $1 billion sales mark for the first time - thanks to the DIY coffee movement.   Virgin founder Richard Branson is selling down his ownership in Virgin Galactic to help fund two covid-hit Virgin businesses (airlines and cruises).   ---  ...

Bendigo Bank has acquired 100% of fast-growing Aussie neobank Up.   JB Hi-Fi profits have jumped 67% to $506 million off the back of more strong demand for consumer goods.   Reddit is the latest platform to roll out short videos in an attempt to steal users from TikTok.   ---   Save money and win cash prizes up to $250k weekly: https://bit.ly/Wintheweek Get your credit score fo...

Baby Bunting, Australia’s largest baby goods retailer, has reported a 76% increase in net profits.   TikTok is adding more privacy protections for minors after seeing Chinese regulators crack down on its peers.   Sales at Weight Watchers are shrinking as consumers prioritise overall wellness above their waistlines.   ---   Save money and win cash prizes up to $250k weekly...

The heads of Afterpay, Canva and Atlassian have formed the Australian Tech Council - to create 1 million tech jobs in Aus.   Aussie energy giant AGL has gone from $1B profit to $2B loss - as the shift to renewables hits their bottom line.   Soccer superstar Lionel Messi’s $235m move from Barcelona to Paris has highlighted the growing inequality in the sport.   ---   Save...

CommBank is giving back $10 billion to its shareholders after a bumper earnings result.   Robinhood is spending $140M on a platform that lets investors communicate with the companies they’ve invested in.   Salesforce is launching its own streaming service - Salesforce+ - as a way to acquire more business customers.   ---   Save money and win cash prizes up to $250k weekly...

CommBank will let business customers that switch to Klarna pay no merchant fees for six months.   Warren Buffett is betting on himself by buying US$6 billion worth of shares in his own company as profits balloon.   NAB is buying Citi’s Australian consumer banking division for $1.2 billion to grow its share of the credit card market.   ---   Save money and win cash prizes...

Netflix is partnering with the NSW government and Screenworks to provide free skills training for entry into screen industry careers.   Snap has partnered with six Australian content houses, including Pedestrian. TV and LADbible Aus, to bring new shows to its Discover section.   Australian aged care facility Regis Healthcare has underpaid staff over the last 6 years by between $30m - $40...

Aussie plant-based meat company V2, which is backed by the founder of Hungry Jack’s, has raised $72M to expand into China and Europe.   News Corp has recorded its best financial year since 2013 - largely thanks to streaming services Kayo Sports and Binge.   Question & answer website Quora has launched a subscription service to make its platform more appealing for creators. &nbs...

Rihanna, the pop sensation and entrepreneur, is officially a billionaire.   Gina Rinehart’s Roy Hill iron ore mine has given almost $3 billion in dividends to shareholders so far this year.   Profits at Sony have increased 26% to $3.4B over the last 3 months, as demand for PS5s continue to grow post lockdowns.   ---   Save money and win cash prizes up to $250k weekly: htt...

Facebook is finally launching its News section in Australia after spending months cutting deals with local publishers.   YouTube has launched a $135 million fund to entice creators to use its TikTok-replica, Shorts.   The former CEO of Australia Post, Christine Holgate, has received a $1 million termination payment from her ex employer.   ---   Save money and win cash prizes up...

Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter and and Square, has revealed his plans for Afterpay after buying them for a lazy $39B.   Reese Witherspoon’s media company, Hello Sunshine, has been sold to a group of ex-Disney executives for $1.2 billion.   Qantas has stood down a further 2,500 staff as the Sydney lockdown continues.   ---   Save money and win cash prizes up to $250k week...

Afterpay will be acquired for $39 billion by payments giant Square - in the biggest acquisition in Aussie history.   Network Ten wants to boost its investment in live sport - despite recording a $3 million loss last year.   Global petrol giants ExxonMobil and Chevron exceeded profit expectations over the last 3 months - as international travel resumes and oil prices rebound.   --- &...

Optus is teaming up with ride-sharing giant Uber to deliver mobile phones to consumers’ homes in under an hour.   Australian HR company Culture Amp has raised $100M USD in a new funding round - valuing the company at $1.5B USD.   Movie star Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney for releasing Black Widow on Disney+ at the same time as in cinemas.   ---   Save money and win ca...