PRE-MARKET AUSTRALIAN AND JAPANESE STOCK NEWS: ANZ beats profit estimates, Regis expects EBITDA at top end of guidance, Tokyo Electron highlights chip market volatility

Australia

ANZ Group (ANZ AT) – H1 (AUD) Net 3.65bln (prev. 3.64bln Y/Y), Cash Profit 3.78bln (exp. 3.69bln, prev. 3.57bln Y/Y), Revenue 11.08bln (prev. 11.18bln Y/Y), NII 8.89bln (prev. 8.87bln Y/Y). CEO: “"Much of the potential impact of this crisis remains ahead of us, but the longer the flow of oil is constrained, the greater the chance the crisis shifts from being primarily an inflation challenge, to much more a supply and growth challenge." (ANZ)

Coles Group (COL AT) - Co. Q3 (AUD) rev. rose 3.1% Y/Y to 10.70bln, Q3 liquor sales down 3.9% Y/Y to 781mln. (Dow Jones Newsplus)

Contact Energy (CEN AT) - Co. announced the retirement of Chair Rob McDonald and the appointment of Jon Macdonald as successor following the 2026 AGM. (Motley Fool)

Fletcher Building (FBU AT) - Co. is selling its residential unit to Altered Capital, which has emerged as the sole buyer and arranged debt financing through Goldman Sachs for the leveraged acquisition. (The Australian)

Nyrstar (NYR AT) - Co. warned workers at its Port Pirie and Hobart metals smelters that jobs are at risk as governments have not committed to the next phase of a taxpayer-funded assistance package. (The Australian)

Qantas (QAN AT) – Co. extends its schedule changes into Q1’27, will continue to take action to mitigate the impacts of the Middle East conflict and will continue to re-deploy some aircraft for more flights between Australia and Europe. (Qantas)

Ravenswood Gold (RAV AT) - Co. faces potential collapse despite record gold prices following a hedging strategy and shareholder dispute, with administrators reportedly circling the operation. (The Australian)

Regis Healthcare (REG AT) - Co. released an upbeat trading update as private equity firms are reportedly circling the aged-care operator. The Co. expects FY26 underlying EBITDA AUD 135mln at the top end of guidance. (The Australian)

ResMed (RMD AT) - Co. Q3 (USD) net 2.86 (exp. 2.80), rev. 1.43bln (exp. 1.42bln). (Dow Jones Newsplus)

Woolsworths Group (WOW AT) downgraded to Hold from Buy at Bell Potter

Japan

ANA (9202 JT), Japan Airlines (9201 JT) – The two companies stated that the Middle East conflict is keeping fuel costs elevated and the outlook uncertain, stating net profits for the current FY will likely drop by double digits following record earnings a year earlier. (Nikkei)

JFE Steel (5411 JT) - Co. has begun operating an integrated steel plant in India with a local partner as part of an investment push expected to lift the country’s steel production capacity. (Nikkei)

KDDI (9433 JT) - Co. plans to launch a cell service in Vietnam later this year under a partnership with VNPT. (Nikkei)

Makino Milling Machine (6135 JT) – MBK Parters has decided to abandon its planned takeover of Makino Milling Machine. (Nikkei)

Mercuria (7347 JT) - Co. is suing the Baltic Exchange over Hormuz-hit shipping rate. (Bloomberg)

SBI Holdings (8473 JT) - Co. will partner with State Street Investment Management to launch investment trusts through a joint venture targeting low fees in Japan. (Nikkei)

Tokyo Electron (8035 JT) – FY 25/26 (JPY) Net 574bln (prev. 544bln Y/Y), Op. Profit 624bln (prev. 697.3bln Y/Y), Revenue 2.44tln (prev. 2.43tln Y/Y). Guides initial H1 FY27 Net 328bln, Op. Profit 431bln, Revenue 1.57tln. States that FY27 guidance is to be released with Q2 earnings due to the increased volatility in the chip market. (Tokyo Electron)

Toyota Motor (7203 JT) - Co. plans to build three vehicle assembly plants in India to triple production capacity to 1mln units by the 2030s. (Nikkei)

Ulvac (6728 JT) - Co. will move production of rare-earth magnet equipment back to Japan from China. (Nikkei)

Other Japanese News:

• USD/JPY plummeted on Thursday, following jawboning and then further driven by a report by the Nikkei, confirming that the MoF had intervened from an official. Jawboning started with FinMin Katayama, stating that timing to take decisive action is near and that "we are getting closer to taking decisive steps in FX". Following Katayama's comments, Top Currency Diplomat Mimura said this is the final warning before action is taken, speculative moves in FX are mounting and are getting closer to taking decisive steps. USD/JPY returned back below the 157 handle, after starting the day beyond 160.00.