Stocks of the Hour: Woodside, Whitehaven Coal, CSL, Telstra, Wesfarmers, Crown Resorts

Thanks for tuning in, with other 20 companies reporting today, let’s take a look at the companies getting a bit of attention.

Woodside Petroleum (ASX:WPL) more than doubled annual profit and hiked its dividend, thanks to buoyant oil and LNG prices. Its pending $40 billion merger with BHP Petroleum is on track to boost the producer into a global giant this year. Shares are on the move, up 1.5 per cent at $27.02.

Shares in Whitehaven Coal (ASX:WHC) are trading 1.3 per cent lower after the miner unveiled a buy back up to $400 million, after surging thermal coal prices helped the company achieve a record half-year result. The share price is sitting at $3.03

CSL (ASX:CSL) shares have surged 3.9 per cent to $274.01 after several broker upgrades. Credit Suisse noted that the blood collecting giant’s profit came in 18 per cent ahead of consensus forecasts.

Meanwhile, Telstra (ASX:TLS) first half earnings haven taken a hit on blaming one-offs reduction payments from the national broadband network. Shares are trading 0.6 per cent lower at $4.04.

Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) has posted a 12.7 per cent fall in its interim profit to $1.2 billion and trimmed its dividend by 9 per cent after pandemic related challenges continue to weigh. Shares have taken a dive, down 4.9 per cent at $52.22.

Meanwhile, embattled gaming group Crown Resorts’ (ASX:CWN) losses have accelerated to $196.3 million reflecting pandemic related challenges and a class action. However the gaming operator did accept a $8.9 billion takeover bid from American private equity firm Blackstone this week. Shares are trading 0.2 per cent higher at $12.58.
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Source: Finance News Network