Cochlear chief executive Dig Howitt told shareholders the hearing implant maker knows what it needs to do after a difficult year. The company's annual net profit fell 62 per cent to $147.3 million in the 2025/26 financial year. Sales revenue was flat at $2.3 billion, although implant device sales rose five per cent. Its share price has fallen by more than 50 per cent over the past year. Cochlear has kept its forecast for a modest rise in underlying net profit next year, and its shares closed down 3.4 per cent on Monday.
APA Group chief executive Adam Watson has defended the company's future gas projects, saying people would starve without natural gas used in food production. At the company's Sydney annual meeting, activist shareholders questioned the viability of new gas projects. A resolution backed by more than 115 shareholders demanded transparency on these projects as climate goals affect demand. Market Forces criticised the planned North to East Australia Pipeline, which would carry gas from the Beetaloo Basin. The Australian Institute backed a 25 per cent tax on gas exports, which Mr Watson rejected.
Plumbing supplies company Reliance Worldwide is recommending shareholders accept a $US2.8 billion ($4 billion) takeover offer from private equity group Brookfield Capital Partners. Chief executive Heath Sharp told the annual general meeting in Brisbane that no better alternative proposals had emerged. The $4.75-per-share offer is a 43 per cent premium to the company's average share price over the past six months. Shareholders are expected to vote at a special meeting in mid-December, with the deal likely to close in the first quarter of 2027.
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BHP executives faced shareholders at the company's annual general meeting in Sydney on Thursday. Shareholders asked whether the two recent mine deaths led to executive pay cuts. Chairman Ross McEwan said BHP operates the joint-venture mines where the deaths occurred and takes full responsibility, and that a review of contractor arrangements is under way. Chief executive Brandon Craig said BHP has appointed a liaison to support the families of the two dead workers. He said that he believes mining can be fatality free.
BHP shareholders will meet at Sydney Showgrounds on Thursday, the first annual meeting under chief executive Brandon Craig. The miner reported copper production of 400,000 tonnes in the September quarter, down 19 per cent from the June quarter and below analyst expectations. It blamed severe weather and a fatality at its Escondida mine in Chile. Sharesies Australia's Jacki Neumann said investors will want confidence in cost control and copper returns. Pacific Climate Warriors plan to protest outside the meeting against coal expansion projects.
BHP shareholders will meet at Sydney Showgrounds on Thursday, the first annual meeting under chief executive Brandon Craig. The miner reported copper production of 400,000 tonnes in the September quarter, down 19 per cent from the June quarter and below analyst expectations. It blamed severe weather and a fatality at its Escondida mine in Chile. Sharesies Australia's Jacki Neumann said investors will want confidence in cost control and copper returns. Pacific Climate Warriors plan to protest outside the meeting against coal expansion projects.
Elon Musk has said that merging his two largest companies, SpaceX and Tesla, would be a good idea. He made the comment during a question-and-answer session on SpaceX's third-quarter earnings call. Musk said the final decision rests with shareholders. Special committees of independent directors at both companies are discussing the idea, but they have not reached an agreement on terms. Musk said the companies could gain from cooperating on artificial intelligence software, chip design, robotics and connectivity.
Treasury Wine Estates has sold its Rosemount, Ingoldby and Secret Stone discount brands to the Oatley family. Chairman John Mullen said the company will not sell remaining brands such as Wolf Blass, Lindemans and Yellowglen for unrealistic amounts. He told shareholders at the annual meeting in Melbourne that the company is shifting its focus to luxury wines as demand for cheaper wine shrinks. Mr Mullen also said there are no plans for a separate listing of Penfolds on the ASX. Shares rose 1.2 per cent in early trade.
Origin Energy's chairman says there is no evidence that customer data stolen in a July hack has been published on the internet or the dark web. Hackers accessed the data of roughly 900,000 customers and former customers, including names, addresses and dates of birth. Up to 60 full bank account numbers and about 100 ID document numbers were also accessed. Chairman Scott Perkins urged affected customers to stay alert to scams. Origin faced criticism for not informing customers until July 22, after first becoming aware of a possible breach on July 2.
Commonwealth Bank chief executive Matt Comyn has pledged a long-term commitment to delivering cash across the economy. He told shareholders at the bank's annual general meeting in Sydney that he cannot see a time when cash stops being distributed nationally. Chairman Paul O'Malley said the bank spends about $400 million a year on cash availability. Shareholders were also set to vote on a resolution about financing deforestation, which the board has recommended they reject.
Commonwealth Bank chief executive Matt Comyn has pledged a long-term commitment to delivering cash across the economy. He told shareholders at the bank's annual general meeting in Sydney that he cannot see a time when cash stops being distributed nationally. Chairman Paul O'Malley said the bank spends about $400 million a year on cash availability. Shareholders were also set to vote on a resolution about financing deforestation, which the board has recommended they reject.
A Telstra shareholder, Peter Starr, criticised chairman Craig Dunn at the company's annual general meeting in Sydney for not speaking to the media during the July network outage. Starr said chief financial officer Michael Ackland looked like a fish out of water. Dunn said Ackland had done a fine job while chief executive Vicki Brady was overseas. Dunn and Brady said Telstra accepted the findings of an external investigation and was acting on them. The outage blocked about 600 triple-0 calls in July.
Telstra chairman Craig Dunn has warned that complex regulation could discourage investment. He singled out calls for mandatory mobile roaming, which would let customers use rival networks outside their own provider's coverage. Dunn told a shareholders meeting in Sydney that the measure would not build new towers and could slow further spending. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is running a 12-month inquiry into the issue. Telstra's chief executive, Vicki Brady, also accepted an external review's findings on a July nationwide outage, and the board cut executive pay in response.
Telstra chairman Craig Dunn has warned that complex regulation could discourage investment. He singled out calls for mandatory mobile roaming, which would let customers use rival networks outside their own provider's coverage. Dunn told a shareholders meeting in Sydney that the measure would not build new towers and could slow further spending. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is running a 12-month inquiry into the issue. Telstra's chief executive, Vicki Brady, also accepted an external review's findings on a July nationwide outage, and the board cut executive pay in response.
